Melting Hearts of Iron and Ice
by PrincessTriSarahTops
Summary: No one would be surprised if Tony Stark had a secret kid somewhere. It had been a common joke among the Avengers pretty much since they first formed. Once Pepper shows up at the tower one afternoon with nineteen year old Alexandria Stallion, its no longer a joke. How will this new development affect Earth's Mightiest Heroes?
1. Chapter 1

Alexandria Mackenzie Stallion stood outside the front door of the Stark Industries building. She fidgeted nervously with the wavy locks of her dark hair trying work up the courage to go inside. She had a _very_ important meeting scheduled with the company's CEO, Virginia Potts, who was probably very busy and probably didn't like to be kept waiting.

 _Besides,_ she sighed to herself, _proper business women don't nervously play with their hair. They hold their shoulders high and tackle their problems head on._ So that's exactly what she intended to do. Taking a deep breath, she pulled her shoulders back, tilted her chin upwards and opened the door. The main lobby of the building had a clean modern look to it. It lacked color, being decorated mostly in white and chrome. A broad shouldered man in a suit was sitting behind the counter of a security station, he beckoned her over as she stepped inside the building.

"Hi," She greeted, jostling the handbag that was slung over her shoulder. She stepped up to the security station and smiled. "I have an appointment with Ms. Potts." She riffled through a stack of folders in her hands before pulling out the appointment card that had been mailed to her from the office. The security worker took the appointment card from her and glanced it over. While he read, Alexandria took the opportunity to study his name badge. _Hogan, Happy._ It read in a firm, black, typeset.

"Is your first name Happy or your last?" She asked with a raised eyebrow. He typed some information into the computer before looking up.

"First." He told her with a smile. His attention turned back to the computer screen for a few more seconds and he started typing again. "What brings you here today, Miss Stallion?"

"I'm a student at New York University and I'm here to interviewing your C.E.O. as part of a research project for my Analysis of Corporate Structure class."

"You must be glad Pepper was able to find time to squeeze you in then." Happy continued to smile as he handed her back her appointment card. "You might need this again once you get upstairs, but it looks like everything checks out, Miss Stallion." His fingers danced across the keyboard a final time before a small plastic visitor's badge printed out. Happy attached a clip to the badge and instructed her to wear it on her outermost layer of clothing. He then gave her brief directions to the C.E.O.'s office.

"Thanks so much, Happy." She smiled, taking the badge and attached it to the collar of her blazer. "I'll see you again on the way out."

The elevator ride up to the top floor was absolute turmoil. Not because Alexandria was worried about her interview. No, she had been practicing for an important interview like this pretty much since childhood. Being raised by a Stock Trader had prepared her for nearly every social situation but there was no way you could really prepare to ruin someone's life.. She caught herself combing through the tangles of her dark hair again and immediately snapped her hand to the side. As a distraction, she thought over her interview questions again trying to decide what the best order was, the best way to phrase them. When the elevator finally dinged open, she took another deep breath and stepped out into the reception area.

After a brief conversation with the receptionist, Alexandria was ushered into the office of the illustrious Virginia Potts. She carried herself in such a way that made it clear she was a no-nonsense type. A characteristic that Alexandria's step-father had taught her to admire in all people, but especially other women. _People are often turned off by strong women._ He had explained. _You'll be a strong woman someday too, and you'll need allies out there on the battlefield. Don't be one of those fools who underestimates women who take their lives seriously._ She could only hope Mrs. Potts would be her ally through what was about to happen.

"Hi," Pepper greeted the nineteen year old who had just entered her office. She tried to put on her warmest smile since the girl already looked nervous. "You must be Alexandria."

"Yes, hello," The girl extended her hand, which Pepper gave a firm shake. "But please, just Alex or Lex. Alexandria is such a mouthful."

"Very well, Lex, please take a seat." The C.E.O. gestured an open palm to a nearby chair. Nodding, the younger woman took a seat and began riffling through her paperwork.

"So, Ms. Potts..."

"Pepper."

"Pepper." Lex repeated. She tucked a loose lock of hair behind her ear and looked up. "As you know I'm conducting this interview as part of a research project, and so I'd like to start off by asking you if you believe the C.E.O. is the most important job at Stark Industries."

"Wow you're not playing around." Pepper raised her eyebrows clearly impressed. "I suppose you expect me to say that yes, I do think the Chief Executive Officer is the most important job at Stark Industries, but that simply isn't true. Every single person who works for this company has the most important job."

Lex couldn't help but smile as she transcribed Ms. Potts' answer. This was the type of woman who saw the value of each individual person. The type of woman _she_ wanted to be. Looking up from her notes, Lex asked her next question.

"Before becoming C.E.O., your previous position within the company was the Personal Assistant to Mr. Tony Stark. It's also public knowledge that you and Mr. Stark are currently in a relationship, how has that impacted your dynamic here at work? You are, after all, now the boss of many people who used to be your superiors."

"You'd have to know Mr. Stark the way the rest of us do." Pepper laughed. She was normally very calculating about the information she gave out in regards to Tony, but something about Lex made her feel oddly reassured. Maybe it was the girls warm brown eyes that somehow managed to convey excitement, respect and curiosity at the same time. There was something about those eyes that seemed so familiar. "Although I was just his personal assistant on paper, my responsibilities covered much more than that. My colleagues were well aware of this fact, and so it hasn't been a very difficult transition for any of us."

"I see." Lex nodded and mark down a few more notes before asking her next question. The interview continued on in the same manner for another fifteen or twenty minutes before Lex put her pen down with a shaking hand. Her heart was racing as she stared into the cerulean eyes of Stark Industries most powerful women.

"Well," the young girl gulped, trying to steady her faltering voice. "That is the end of all of my official interview questions. But I was hoping to ask you for some personal advice, off the record of course."

"I'm not sure how much I can help without knowing what you want advice on." Pepper frowned. "But I can certainly do my best." She leaned forward in her chair and rested her head on her chin.

"My dad has always been a well-rounded father. He taught me how to ride a bike when I was a kid. He took me to open my savings account and taught me how to manage money. He took care of my mother and I my whole life. My mom was practically perfect too. She wasn't around as much as I wanted but that's the life when your mother is a very important geneticist. She would cut the crust off my sandwiches when I was a kid and she would take me out to the movies whenever she had time."

"I'm sensing there is a 'but' coming very soon."

"but, my mom died of Lung cancer when I was fifteen. So Dad thought that was the best time to tell me that he's not actually my father. And I've had time to get used to the idea, having lived with it for four years now. He's raised me this whole time, even knowing I wasn't his. He taken care of me and I love him for that, but I would really like to know who my father is."

"If you don't mind me asking, why have you waited so long to look for him?" Pepper found herself captivated by the girl's story.

"I wanted to wait until I was at least eighteen." She explained. "It's very important to me that my father know that I'm not interested in any of his money. I really just want to get to know him."

"So you already know who your father is?" Pepper leaned back in her chair.

"I know his name, I know where he lives and where he works but I don't know who he is." Lex said. "The problem is, I know my biological father doesn't know that I even exist. And as much as I want to meet him and get to know him, I think his life might be better off without me. And I don't know if it's right for me to want to know this man when it would bring him nothing but trouble."

"Tony's your father." Pepper said coming to the sudden realization. That was where she had seen those warm brown eyes before. Lex even had Tony's tousled brown hair. That seemed to be where the resemblance ended, but it was enough. Pepper reached out and held down the intercom button on the telephone that sat on her desk. "Cancel my appointments for the rest of the day and have a car brought around front."


	2. Chapter 2

Tony Stark was in his workshop at Avengers Tower fiddling with one of his repulsor gauntlets when he got the call from Pepper. She hadn't said much before hanging up, just that she was on her way over with someone he needed to meet. It was cryptic and very unlike her. So he put down his tools and started pacing.

"JARVIS!" He called out to the A.I. that practically ran his life.

"Yes sir?" The computer waited for its next command.

"Do me a favor, pull up Pepper's schedule, tell me who her last appointment was with." Tony ordered. He then picked up a random gadget from his workbench and started tossing it back and forth between his hands while he waited for JARVIS to do its thing.

"Ms. Potts' last appointment was with a New York University student named Alexandria Stallion."

"Stallion...Stallion...why's that sound familiar? Give me a..." He was about to ask for a search on the girl when a blue holographic screen appeared before him. A search engine was open for the name Alexandria Stallion. The first link in the search was for a Facebook page, so Tony reached out and touching it, opening the website.

"Business students at NYU," He mumbled reading the girl's 'About Me' section. "Father is Oliver Stallion, hmm he's a stock trader...and he is married to...Daisy Mackenzie. Daisy Mackenzie the geneticist?" Tony backed out of Facebook until he returned to the search engine. He was about to begin looking for information on Daisy when JARVIS interrupted.

"Sir, I'm sorry to interrupt, but Ms. Potts and her guest have arrived."

"Alright," He waved his hand and dismissed the blue screen before him. "Time to meet this Stallion."

Pepper used her key to let herself and Lex into the apartment at the top of the Avenger's Tower. She couldn't help but laugh as the girl's eyes grew wide when she took in the expansive view.

"Wow." Was all Lex could think to say as she stared down at the city.

"So, who's your new friend, Pep?" Both women jumped when Tony spoke. Neither one had heard him enter the apartment.

"Tony, this is..."

"Alexandria Mackenzie Stallion." He interrupted his girlfriend. "found you on Facebook. Probably should have set that to private." He smirked. "The important question is, why is she here?"

"You-you're Tony Stark?" The girl turned and was now looking at him with the same gaping eyes she'd just been giving the skyline. Lex had been imagining meeting this man every day for the last four years and seeing him in person was very different from her imagination. He was just as handsome as he was in his photos, but his eyes were softer which gave him a more inviting look than the media had led her to believe. And those were _definitely_ her eyes. "I-I'm...You're...M-m-y..."

"Pepper...?" Tony looked over at his girlfriend cautiously. He still didn't understand what this girl was doing in his apartment or why she was stuttering like a madwoman.

"What Lex is trying to say," Pepper decided she'd better jump in to help since Alexandria obviously wasn't going to get out what she needed to say. "Is that approximately nineteen years ago you and her mother may or may not have fornicated."

"It's possible." Tony shrugged. "I fornicated with a lot of women back in the day."

"Yes, well, how many of them have claimed youwere the father of their only daughter?"

"None far as I know." He shrugged again.

"Until now." Lex interjected, she began twirling the ends of her hair anxiously.

"You?" Tony scoffed. Though if he was being honest the girl did look a lot like the Daisy Mackenzie he remembered. Rounded chin, small nose.. "Oh, now wait a minute. I get it. Great joke, Honey!" He smirked looking over at Pepper.

"This isn't a joke, Tony." Pepper told him. She had her serious face on. Her loved that serious face. It always made her look all the more beautiful when she finally smiled. "Look at her, she has your eyes, your hair!" Tony continued to stare at the girl. Pepper was right she did seem to have the Stark family eyes.

"I want a test to be sure." He insisted. "JARVIS call down to Banner, let him know we're on our way. Tell him it's an emergency. You two, let's go." He gestured towards the door with his thumb.

Bruce Banner was in his own lab when Stark's artificial intelligence system interrupted him.

"I'm very sorry to bother you, Doctor Banner," JARVIS apologized "But Mister Stark wanted me to inform you that he is on his way down with Ms. Potts and their guest. He says it's an emergency."

"It's always an emergency with Tony." Bruce chuckled, but he pulled his face away from his microscope just the same. "Did he happen to say what kind of emergency?"

"I'm certain it would be best for you to hear it from him, sir." Luckily Bruce didn't have to wait long before Tony burst through the door of the lab followed by Pepper and a young girl.

"So, I'm only going to say this once. Banner, this is Lex. Half her DNA might be mine. Possible spawn, this is Dr. Bruce Banner." Bruce instinctively held out his hand for Lex to shake as he tried to process what Tony had just said.

"Wait hang on, did you just say..."

"I said there is an exceptionally small margin of possibility that Alexandria here may share some ah...DNA...with me." Tony repeated.

"We're hoping you'll be able to help us." Pepper explained.

"Uh sure." Bruce nodded. "You're alright with this?" He asked the girl.

"Yeah." She agreed quickly. Lex was surprised by how well Tony was taking this. She had expected him to deny it or at the very least shout or something. So far he'd just sort of mumbled to Pepper a few times.

"Ok then. You can both have a seat and..."

"I'd rather stand." Tony and Lex both said at the same time. They locked eyes for a second as if trying to read the other's mind.

"Okay." Bruce said trying to break the tension, he quickly turned his back to them so that Stark wouldn't catch him grinning. Banner prepped the chemicals and equipment he would need to do a paternity test before producing two cotton swabs. He handed one of the swabs off to Tony. "I'm sure you know what to do with that. Now Lex, if I could just have you open your mouth for me..." She did as the scientist asked, opening her mouth wide so that he could sweep the cotton swab against her cheek. "Thanks, you can close your mouth now. I can run the test here, but you know it's still going to take a full day for the results."

"Yeah about that." Tony frowned, looking down at the DNA sample between his fingers. "I was sort of hoping maybe we could speed things up a little?"

"I don't think I could shave the process down much more than twenty-four hours without compromising the results."

"Well that's just great!" Tony huffed. He forced the swab into Banner's free hand. "What do I do with her until then?" He stormed out of the lab grumbling.

"Tony!" Pepper started chasing after him, but she remembered the teenage girl.

"If it's alright with Dr. Banner, I'd like to stay and watch him work." Lex suggested. "Mr. Stark looks like he need some space."

"It's fine." Bruce assured Pepper. "She can stay with me." Pepper nodded and left the lab to go find Tony.

"How old are you, Lex? About eighteen, nineteen?" Dr. Banner questioned as he prepared his samples for the test.

"You hit the nail on the head, Doc." Lex said sitting in the tall rolling chair he had left by his microscope. "My nineteenth birthday was April 15th."

"You must be in your first year of college then?" He glanced over his shoulder and she nodded. "Have you selected a major?"

"Business. It's just the general study of business right now, but I'm hoping that I'll eventually become inspired by Marketing or statistics or some other concentration."

"No interest in Science, then?" He turned back to his work.

"My mother was a geneticist and you'd think that with the Stark family legacy Science would be in my DNA. And I'm sure it is, but it must be a recessive trait because I've never seen the allure to science. Too much instability. Not that I need to tell you about it."

"Ah, you know about the big green guy?"

"I did a little research into Earth's Mightiest Heroes shortly after learning about bio-dad." Lex explained. "Speaking of which, am I distracting you?"

"No,no." Dr. Banner insisted. There was a knock on the lab door and he invited the guest in without hesitation. It was Steve Rogers who entered the room carrying the new cellphone Tony had recently forced upon him.

"Hey, Dr. Banner I'm sorry to bother you." Steve mumbled not looking up from his phone. "Tasha sent me one of those instant letters and there are a bunch of tiny alien pictures next to it and I've got no idea what that means and I can't asked Stark about it because he'll just laugh and call me ol-Oh hello." He glance up from the phone in his hands and spotted a young woman sitting in Dr. Banner's favorite chair. The scientist himself had his back to the door, obviously concentrating on something else.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Steve mumbled backing out of the room. "I didn't realize you were busy."

"It's alright, Steve." Bruce turned around and removed his glasses. "I'm working on something recreational for Tony." He explained toying with the glasses in his hands. "Normally I would say I could put it off but this one is sort of time critical."

"That's all right. Maybe Clint…"The super soldier reached for the door when Lex called out to him.

"Mr, uh, Captain Rogers, I could take a look at your phone." She offered.

"Well thanks, but it looks like Bruce needs you here Miss."

"I'm sorry Steve," Bruce put his glasses back on his nose. "This is Alexandria she is ah…"

"Waiting on the results of Mr. Stark's recreational project." Lex rushed to the doctor's aid. Neither one of them thought it was a good idea to tell the other Avengers exactly why she was there yet. "And I know you can't make the results come any faster but I'm already starting to get restless in here." She told Dr. Banner with an apologetic look.

"I understand. Recessive trait." Bruce shrugged. "Why don't you go ahead and help Steve with his phone. Maybe help him with a few other things on that list of his."

* * *

 **A/n: Thanks so much to the two guest for your reviews of Chapter 1! This is my first Avengers fic and I really have no idea what I'm doing, so it's great to know the story makes sense! I hope you all enjoyed Chapter 2 and new chapters to follow soon. Thank you so much to everyone who has favorited, followed, reviewed, read and enjoyed this stort so far!**


	3. Chapter 3

"So you really carry it around with you everywhere you go?" Alexandria had listened to Steve talk about the list that he carried around every day as they walked up to his piece of the tower.

"You're making fun of me." Steve looked down at his shoes.

"No!" She touched his arm reassuringly. "Actually I think it's incredible that you're going through so much trouble to understand the changes. Most people wouldn't have to mental stamina."

"If only everyone felt that way." Steve swung open the door to his apartment and invited Alexandria inside. She could tell that whoever had decorated the place had done so with a lot a care and Steve's personality in mind.

"Some place." She observed stepping over the welcome mat that laid before the door. In fact the whole apartment had a charming nostalgic feeling to it. Vintage posters from Steve's time in World War II had been hung and framed in the kitchenette. All the appliances had been retrofitted to look like their 1940's counterparts and even Steve's flat screen TV had a casing around it too look like an old tube of the past.

"This was all Tony's idea." He felt embarrassed again as he shut the door behind him. This girl was going to think he was a dinosaur. "He thinks stunts like this are funny. He's charming like that."

"But it must be nice to come home to something that feels familiar. Even if it's only here in your apartment." Lex invited herself to sit down at the small round kitchen table. "Now let me have a look at your phone." She held out her hand expectantly. Steve placed the device in her open palm and sat down at one of the two remaining chairs. "Ok, see here, this little alien symbols they just mean you don't have emoji enabled on your phone."

"What is an emoji?"

"Right. You wouldn't know what that is."

"Still think I have incredible mental stamina?" Steve asked with raised eyebrows.

"Let's just say you still have a lot to learn." Lex reached into her handbag and dug around for her own phone. "An emoji is a cartoon picture that people add to their text messages. Usually to emphasis what they're saying." She finally found her phone and opened a recent text message from her Dad. There was a sun emoji and a string of hearts along with the words " _Good morning and good luck with your big interview today!"_

"I see, he was saying 'good morning' so he added a sun. huh." Steve smiled as he stared down at the glowing screen. People of this decade were proving to be much more innovative than the ones from his time. Lex turned her attention back to Steve's phone and she quickly flicked through the settings to enable emoji on his phone.

"Here I'll program my number into your phone so you can practice." She did just that before handing the phone back to the super soldier. He exchanged his own mobile device for hers and tapped away trying to remember how to start a conversation on the phone.

"So how do I get to the...what were they called again?"

"Emoji." She reminded him.

"Hey Rogers!" Tony's voice was suddenly filling the small room which caused Lex to jump.

"Another one of Stark's brilliant ideas." Steve explained rolling his eyes. "It's just high tech intercom system. What do you need Stark?" He raised his voice so JARVIS could pick up it up and relay it to Tony somewhere else in the tower.

"I'm looking for a teenage girl. She's about five foot nine, brown eyes, brown hair..."

"If you're talking about Alexandria, then yes she's here with me." Steve explained.

"Excellent. Walk her up to my apartment will you? Stark out."

"I guess the emoji lessons will have to wait." Lex sighed, getting to her feet. "I can find my way back up there, you don't have to walk with me."

"Well, Stark might need me for something so I should probably go with you." So Lex and Steve took the elevator up to the top floor of the tower and let themselves into Tony's apartment. Stark and Pepper were talking in the kitchen over coffee when they stepped in.

"Thanks Capcicle." Tony said with a smirk. "Do me a favor, find out who's going to be in the tower tonight? I'm in the mood for a big family dinner and see if Barton wants to cook."

"Sure." Steve nodded. "I'll make a few calls and find out."

"In this century we just text!" Tony yelled as the super soldier stepped into the hallway. Steve just shook his head in response and walked away.

"While you've been roaming around weaving friendship bracelets and whatnot," Tony said, turning his attention to Lex, "Banner says he might be able to speed up the DNA test. Get the results within twelve hours. So I started researching you. Figured it would help pass the time." He picked up a tablet off the counter and started reading from it. Alexandra Mackenzie Stallion. Five nine, brown hair, brown eyes, New Jersey driver's license H1955 62658 48973. No arrest, no criminal charges, you had a 4.0 GPA in High school and you've dropped down to an impressive 3.9 In your first semester of college which means you're either very smart or you waste a lot of time studying. Oliver Stallion makes about a million dollars a year and he pays for your tuition out of pocket so you've never needed money. Daisy Mackenzie was a geneticist before she died of Lung Cancer and you were fifteen at the time. But you have no interest in Science, both according to Banner and your course load at New York University."

"Not a very detailed search." Lex said, crossing her arms. "Most of that information can be lifted off a basic search engine or my Facebook page which, as you already pointed out, is public."

"I also ran your driver's license and Student ID photos through JARVIS' facial recognition software. Our faces are an 85% match. Our eyes alone are a 99% match. Alexandria there is very little doubt in my mind that you are my daughter. But it seems you were doing just fine without me. Why even bother contacting me? You don't need anything from me. I could understand if you needed money but your father has plenty. If you had a science thing you were working on with your Mother before she died? Sure, but you have no interest in Science. You even get phenomenal grades in school. No ugly jail time or crimes you want me to use my S.H.I.E.L.D. clearance to make go away. So what is it? I don't understand."

"I don't want anything from you." Lex promised, uncrossing her arms. "At least nothing tangible. Oliver Stallion started dating my mother a year after I was born and apparently he had been the one to insist that I never know you were my Biological father. He offered to take care of us, pay for everything we ever need, all he wanted in return was this one secret. She had never intended to tell you the truth anyway so she agreed. She had only been dead for three days when he broke the news to me. He was grief stricken, not thinking clearly, and he regretted it immediately, but you can't take back something like that. I tried forgetting about it at first and that worked for maybe a week. And then I was really angry at him. I didn't understand why he hadn't wanted me to know and I didn't understand why he had decided to tell me. So I've gone back and forth about what to do for the last four years. I've been everything from happy to sorry I was ever even born. And then last week my Professor in Analysis of Corporate Structure told us we had to try and contact corporate executives and conduct interviews as part of a large research project. And I just could help but think that this was my opportunity and I met Pepper this morning and I...I'm sorry that I had to spring all of this on you, but I waited until I was nineteen because I didn't want you to think I was just trying to get money out of you. But beyond that, I have no idea what I'm doing here."

"My, um, my chest feels tight." Lex brought a shaking hand over her heart. Her breathing had gotten ragged without her noticing.

"Sit down, it will help." Tony guided the girl to the couch and gently forced her to sit down. She did as she was told having experience a panic attack before. She used to get them all the time when she was a teenager but it had been months since her last one.

"Water." She begged in a dry voice. A cold glass of water always helped. Pepper, who had seen these attacks before in Tony was already rushing over with a glass of water. Lex took it gratefully, and drank from the glass slowly. As her breathing slowed, she noticed that Tony had sat next to her and was rubbing circles on her back. He was looking at her with a concerned eyes. "I'm so sorry." She apologized once she caught her breath.

"No, no." Tony stopped rubbing circles on her back. "Never apologize for something you can't control."

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you to topthis808 for your review of Chapter 2! I really appreciate reviews and any other love given to my work! I hope you guys enjoyed Chapter 3, and I should be adding Chapter 4 within the next few minutes!**


	4. Chapter 4

"Why is it I'm the only one of us who can cook?" Clint Barton asked as he invited himself into Tony's apartment around five o'clock that night.

"Cause you're the only one with kids." Tony answered without thinking as he popped a handful of popcorn pieces into his mouth. He, Pepper and Lex had been sitting on the couch watching a movie before the archer had come barging in. Both his girlfriend and the teenage girl turned to look at him at the mention of kids. "Oh c'mon you know what I mean!" Tony grumbled. He quickly shoveled more popcorn in his mouth before he said anything else stupid. Lex seemed to shrug the whole thing off, turning her attention back to the movie, but Pepper was still watching him.

"And why am I cooking dinner if you're going to fill up on popcorn?" Clint complained.

"It's been awhile since we've all gotten together for a meal. And I like popcorn." He replied chomping down another fist-full of the buttery snack. "Have you met Lex yet?" He questioned, knowing that his fellow Avenger had not.

Brief introductions were conducted, though no one made any mention as to why Lex was there. Clint decided it was best not to ask and resigned himself to the kitchen. Lex was surprised how comfortable she felt being in the tower. For a group of top level agents and heroes the Avengers had proven themselves to be a very welcoming bunch. Tony Stark, the former party boy, had shockingly been the most welcoming. But as vegetables were being chopped in the kitchen, she couldn't help but feel like she had overstayed her welcome. So when the movie that she, Pepper and Tony were watching came to an end, the young girl got to her feet.

"Well Mr. Stark, Ms. Potts, thank you for your hospitality but I think that since the results of our project won't be back until eleven o'clock tonight the earliest, it's probably time for me to head home."

"Home?" Now it was Tony's turn to get to his feet. This girl had only just arrived in his life and if she really was his daughter, he wanted to get to know her. Then of course there was the very slim reality that she may not be his daughter. Either way he wasn't about to let her just waltz out of the tower with so much up in the air.

"Yeah. I was kind of whisked away here after my interview with Pepper, so I didn't really have time to tell anyone where I was going. My boyfriend and my roommate are probably wondering where I am." As she explained this, Lex reached into the back pocket of her jeans to check her phone.

"Crap, crap, crap." She mumbled when she took in the sight of at least twenty missed calls and text messages on the lock screen."I put my phone on silent this morning and never turned to ringer back on." The most missed calls were from her Dad who worried if she didn't answer on the first ring let alone ignore his calls all day. She immediately tapped the call back banner and waited for him to pick up.

"Hi Daddy. I know, I know. I'm sorry! You know I had that big interview today, I put my phone on silent and then forgot to turn it back on. I'm fine! No! Don't go to my dorm building. I'm not telling you where I am! Because I don't have to, that's why. What do you mean you tracked the GPS in my phone?" There was a long pause as Oliver Stallion explained how he had called the phone company to track down his daughter.

"Well it's not like they're going to let you just walk right into Avengers Tower!"Lex put her hand over the microphone end of the cell phone and looked over at Tony worriedly. "No one's going to let him just walk up in to the tower right?"

"Um right. JARVIS, ring up Rogers for me."

"What do you need Stark?" He answer the call with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"There either is or will soon be a man downstairs. His name is Oliver and I imagine he won't be too difficult to find. Anyway he's Lex's father. Do us a favor keep him busy till we can get down there alright? Stark out." He ended his call with Steve and turned his attention back to Lex who was still arguing with her father.

"Fine!" She growled."I'm coming down there." She hung up the phone and stuffed it back in her pocket. "Well it was really nice to meet you Mr. Stark, Pepper. Hopefully I'll be able to see you again some…"

"Hold on a minute." Tony interrupted her. "If you want to stay here you can stay here. Your dad can't just make you leave. He doesn't own the building. I do. Let's go talk with him."

"There's no need for that really. You've been very kind to meet with me today. It's been a pleasure." Tony noticed that Lex's whole demeanor changed with the mention of her father. She'd been lounging around comfortably on the couch for the last two or so hours and now she was standing straight with her purse on her shoulder and the documents she'd brought to Pepper's interview gripped tightly between her hands. He recognized those signs, it's how he used to act around his own father.

"Let me at least walk you out." Tony would have had trouble trying to pick Oliver Stallion out of in a crowd. The guy had the generic middle aged man look down to a tee. His suit was poorly tailored, his hair was peppered with greys, and his face was as plain as one could imagine. Luckily he didn't have to pick the guy out of a crowd since he was already standing outside arguing with Rogers.

"Alexandria!" Oliver hissed when he saw his daughter step out of the building with Tony Stark. Steve still had an arm out blocking him from stepping forward, so the best he could do was shout over the super soldier. "Get in the car, I'm taking you home."

"I'm not getting in the car with you, Dad." Lex stepped forward. She didn't understand why he was acting so extreme. She put a hand on Steve's shoulder and he lowered his arm. "I have classes on Monday, papers to write this weekend. I haven't talked to Kyle or Rachelle at all today. I can't go back to Long Island for the weekend. I have too much to do." Tony was impressed by how level headed she seemed.

"You promised me! You swore to me that no matter what you would never go looking for _him._ " Oliver gestured at Tony in disgust.

"I know." Lex frowned. Now she understood. It wasn't just that she had done something against his will, she had broken his trust. Trust and honor were two very important things to a business man like him. But surely he would understand that it was more honorable for her to tell Tony the truth than keep living with such a big secret. "I'm very sorry that I broke that promise, but you have to understand I couldn't live my life not even meeting the man who brought me into this world."

"Mr. Stallion, I'm the one who should be apologizing." Tony interjected. There was something animalistic that had awoken in him when he saw the look of guilt on Lex's face. "I insisted that Alexandria be brought here. Pepper Potts, suggested that I meet her after their interview and the resemblance was so uncanny, I thought let's have a DNA test. Just for fun!" Tony scrunched his nose up and shrugged his shoulders. It was an act he was sure would be deemed insufferable by Oliver.

"Daisy did her own test eighteen years ago, _just for fun_." Oliver sneered. He pulled a folder out of his briefcase and forced it into Tony's hands.

"Is someone going to explain to me what's going on?" Steve asked looking between Tony, Lex and her father.

"Not now muffin, Daddy and Daddy are talking." Tony mumbled as he leafed through the documents in his hands.

"Alexandria I already stopped all payments to your school. You'll go to state school at home until it's clear you can be trusted to make your own decisions agian."

Trusted to make…you're the one who can't be trusted!" Now she was angry. This man may not have been her biological parent, but he raised her like his own. He had been the one constant, unwavering, pillar of support in her life for as long as she could remember and the first time she made an important decision on her own, he wanted to pull the rug out from under her.

You've Lied to me most of my life!" Lex scoffed. "And you made my mother lie to me too!" She didn't bother stopping Steve when he flung his arm out in front of her again, instinctively protecting her from Oliver who had taken a violent step forward.

"And you think _he_ is going to take care of you?" Her father gestured at Tony. "You think he is going to throw away 47,000 dollars a year for you to go to school? And let's not forget the cost of your dorm and books and…"

"As a matter of fact," Tony looked up from the folder in his hands, now very angry. That was his kid this guy was screaming out. " _He_ happens to be a billionaire, with plenty of cash to invest in his daughter's education. Tell you what Ollie, you give me twenty four hours to get some of my guys together, we'll have Lex's stuff moved out of your house and all financial responsibilities transferred to me. You can walk away from this whole thing clean." The Iron Man pilot reached out his hand like it were a typical business transaction.

"Mr. Stark, you don't…" Lex started to argue but Oliver interrupted.

"It's a deal." He said shaking Tony's hand. "Twenty four hours, that's all you'll get."

"Rogers, get Lex upstairs. I have a lot of phone calls to make." Stark ordered as Oliver got in his car and drove away.


	5. Chapter 5

Steve ushered Alexandria inside who didn't bother resisting his comforting grip around her shoulders. The elevator ride to the top floor was both long and awkward because she started to cry the second the lift doors closed. Inside the apartment Clint had nearly finished cooking dinner. Natasha and Bruce had also made their way upstairs and the former already had a glass of red wine in her hand as they waited for the meal to be served.

"Lex?" Pepper was the first to notice Steve hobble in half-supporting the girl crying on his shoulder. "What's wrong? What happened? Steve?" He forced Alexandria to sit on the couch before standing and answering her.

"I'm not entirely sure." He admitted. "I got a call from Stark, he said that Alexandria's father would be downstairs and that I needed to keep him busy for a little while. Then they came downstairs and somebody said something about Tony being her father...Like I said I'm not entirely sure..."

"What's going on?" The others had now realized something was wrong and walked over from the kitchen. In the meantime Lex had worked herself into another panic attack and so Pepper decided to deal with that first. She ordered Tasha to get a cold glass of water. Bruce, being the second most informed of the group, had worked out what had happened on his own and he was instructing Lex on a breathing technique he used to keep the big green guy at bay.

"Yes, I know the Bursar's office closes at three pm on Fridays. Yes, I know it's after three pm, that's why I'm calling you personally, Andria." Tony had just stepped into the apartment and was jabbering away at the cell phone in his hands. "Well I just thought that when I donated $100,000 worth of first editions to your school's Library and you said call me if you ever need anything, that meant I could call you if I ever needed anything!" There was a pause as he listened to the person on the other end of the line. "Thank you!" There was another pause which Tony reached for his tablet and started looking up Lex's school information he had found earlier. "Ok, I know there was a stop payment put on the account of Alexandria M. Stallion, I want everything to be charged under my name from now on. You need the account and routing numbers?" He sighed. "Yeah, hang on, I'm going to hand you off to my accountant...Pepper! Switch places with me!" He handed the tablet and phone off to Pepper, who left the room for her home office.

"Lex, Sweetheart, you don't have to cry." Tony said, crouching down on the floor in front of her. He waved everyone else off and was glad the other Avengers were smart enough to retreat back to the kitchen. "I know I kind of shot my mouth off back there, it's a bad habit of mine." He winced. "But look, Pep and I, we'll take care of everything. We're already working on getting your school accounts settled so you can start again on Monday like nothing happened. We'll take this one step at a time okay? You've just...you got to calm down, because I really want to be here for you, but I've got no idea how to deal with crying."

"I'm so sorry." She sniffled, wiping her nose on her sleeve. "I Really didn't mean for things to get so blown up. I've never seen him so angry before."

"Probably my fault." Tony frowned. "I antagonized him, and as a general rule dads don't like me. Even my own so..." He rolled his eyes as if to say the matter really couldn't be helped. "I'm sure he isn't going to stay mad at you forever, but until he comes around, I think it's a good idea for you to stay here. Tomorrow morning we'll pick up whatever you have at his house in New Jersey and we'll stop by your dorm to collect everything you need there. For now, I'm sure you can borrow some things from Pepper, okay?"

"Okay." Lex nodded, drying what little tears were left under her eyes. She still had no idea how she was going to walk into her dorm building tomorrow and talk to her roommate or call her boyfriend and pretend that nothing had happened, but looked down at Tony, she had complete faith that this man was going to help her pick up the pieces.

"Hmm-mmm." Pepper cleared her throat as she stepped into the room. A bundle of clean clothes in her hands. "I always feel better after a shower." She said offering out a pair of grey yoga pants and faded AC/DC t-shirt. "Bathroom is down the hall to the left."

"Thank you." Lex said taking the clothes and holding them tightly to her chest. "A million times thank you to both of you."

"I need a drink." Tony grumbled as he got to his feet. The second he walked into the kitchen he was bombarded by questions from his fellow Avengers."Alright, alright!" Tony silenced them with one hand and rubbed the other across his forehead. "I was hoping we could discuss this over dinner, like civilized people, but obviously, that's not going to happen." He reached into the fridge and pulled out a bottle of beer not even bothering to read the label before twisting the top off.

"Her name is Alexandria," He explained after taking a swig of the bitter drink in his hands. "She prefers being called Alex or Lex, and she is my daughter. Oh no rush on those test results now Banner, but I still want them by Monday. Going to need them for my lawyers." He took another sip of beer before launching into the full retelling of everything that had happened since eleven o'clock that morning.

* * *

 **A/n: Thank you topthis808 for your review of Chapter 4! You did't have to wait very long of this update, but I don't know how long it will be before 6 is up. As always thank you to everyone for favoriting, following, reviewing, reading and enjoying this story!**


	6. Chapter 6

Alexandria woke up the next morning in an extravagant room she did not recognize. Sitting up in the canopy bed that was obviously not her own, she slowly remembered the events of the day before. She almost vomited remembering how she had yelled at her father, but then she remembered how easily he had passed her over to Tony. Like a used car. There was a knock on the door, and she realized that must have been what had woken her in the first place.

"Lex, It's Tony, I'm gonna let myself in now if that's alright?"

"It's fine." She called out to the door. Tony let himself into the room. He was already dressed for the day in a pair of jeans and t-shirt. The arch reactor that kept him alive was glowing brightly through his shirt and Lex couldn't help but wonder if Tony had trouble sleeping with that blue light in his face every night.

"I know you had a rough day yesterday." He said leaning against one of the bed posts. "And today probably won't be much more fun. But if we get an early start, it'll be over sooner. So, Pepper said you can borrow anything you want from her closet and Barton's cooked breakfast, I suggest that if you want to actually eat any of it, you get dressed quickly. Someone mentioned that Thor might swing by, guy tends to have a bit of a healthy appetite." Tony scrunched up his nose in recollection of the last meal he shared with the god of thunder.

Ten minutes later, Lex arrived to breakfast wearing a pair of Pepper's Jeans and the same AC/DC t-shirt she'd worn to bed the night before. Steve, Clint, Pepper and Tony were already sitting at the kitchen's long breakfast bar each enjoying a sizable morning meal. Steve gave her a polite "Good morning" nod as he finished chewing his current bite of food. Tony, who's mouth was also full, just handed her an empty plate and gestured to the small buffet of waffles, French toast, sausage, bacon, and pancakes that was scattered up and down the island.

"I think," Pepper laughed, picking up her glass of orange juice. "That he's trying to say help yourself." Lex filled up her plate with sausage, French toast and waffles and sat down next to Steve.

"Here's the plan." Tony wiped his mouth with a napkin and swiveled his barstool to look over at her. "Barton's gonna take me, you, and Rogers to Jersey in his pick-up. Shouldn't take us very long to take care of what we need to do there. Then we'll come back here, you and I'll will go to your dorm building and collect a few things. We'll see where we're at from then, alright?"

"Sounds good." She nodded, taking a bite out of her French toast.

Two hours later the gang pulled up in front of Lex's former home. Tony had called ahead and made arrangements with Oliver to ensure they would have the house to themselves. The team quickly got down to business packing her life into cardboard boxes. Track and cross country trophies, writing awards, yearbooks, and her high school diploma were all removed from the shelves that lined walls. All of her books, and decorations were removed until the room was stripped bare. Tony had been right to assume that it wouldn't take very long for the four of them to accomplish their task, getting everything loading into the pick-up truck in under three hours. Back in the city, Clint and Steve had started carrying boxes upstairs when Lex pulled Tony aside and asked to talk to him.

"This is just temporary." She told him, standing in the middle of the guest room. "I'll...I'll get a job and I'll find a place of my own. I won't impose on you and Pepper for very long."

"First off, you're not imposing." He insisted. "I'm the one who got you kicked out of your home and there is plenty of room here at the Tower. Second, you're my responsibility. I'm your father, at least genetically, so I have to responsibility to take care of you and I've been skimping on that the last nineteen years."

"But I can't just let you pay for everything. I feel terrible about having shown up on your doorstep and needing so much from you. I should at least get a job and pay rent..."

"Why?" Tony shrugged. "Romanov, Barton, Rogers, Banner, Thor none of them pay rent. Though maybe they should...taxes on a giant building like this aren't cheap." He considered a few things in his head before coming to a brilliant idea. "Tell you what, you're a business student, right? You have to clock a certain number of internship hours before graduation. As it so happens I own a very big company and that very big company just got an opening for an undergraduate internship. Which would solve this problem. Become a Stark Industries intern and we'll pay you with lodging and whatever else you need. You set your hours, work around your schedule. Seem fair?"

"I know it's silly but working for my keep really would make me feel better."

"Then it's settled." He clapped his hand on her shoulder. "I'll talk with the CEO later. I'm pretty sure I can persuade her to agree, being that I'm sleeping with her and all."

"This is the last box." Steve said as he stepped into the room. "Clint's already left for his farm. And Tasha wanted my help with something, so I'm going to go, but we'll still be in the Tower. Please call me if you need anything else."

"Thanks Cap." Tony nodded. "You guys were a big help today. I owe you one."

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you so much to Topthis808 and the one guest for your reviews of Chapter 5. I'm certainly not an AI like JARVIS but imagine how much quicker my updates would be if I was? I could be _so_ much more productive! Just know that I'll get new updates out as soon as I can, and that I love reading your reviews in between!**


	7. Chapter 7

"There's a pent house study lounge upstairs, Music and dance studios, and a laundry facility downstairs..." Lex was giving Tony the grand tour as they walked through the floors of NYU's historic Brittany Hall dorm building. "And this, is _my_ room." She stopped in front of the corner room at the end of the hall. The door was decorated with snowflakes, snowmen and other wintery things in preparation of the Christmas season. "My roommate's an art major." She explained as Tony studied the organized chaos.

"Rach, it's me, Alex!" She called through the door. "Are you there? I'm coming in and I'm bringing a guest." When no answer came, she knocked again.

"Well there's no sock on the door." he observed. "So I'd say it's safe to go in. Do kids still do that? The whole sock on the door thing?"

"Yeah. Or a tie or a cowboy hat..." Then she seemed to remember who she was talking to. That wasn't really the sort of thing you wanted to discuss with your newfound bio-Dad. "I mean I suppose kids who are active in that way would, um, still do something like that." Lex shrugged. She pulled a ring of keys out of her pocket and unlocked the door.

"Nice save." Tony smiled. "Though I suppose I don't need to tell you the risks of _being active in that way_." Now mentally begging the conversation to come to an end, she turned the handle and let herself into the dorm room.

Inside her roommate Rachelle had a Taylor Swift album turned up to full volume. Explaining why she hadn't responded to Lex's knocking. There was a four foot tall easel set up in the middle of the room and a canvas with half-painted cityscape settled on it. Rachelle was holding a paint pallet in one hand and a paint brush in the other. She was singing along loudly to the music when Lex allowed the door slam shut. Her roommate spun around, startled.

"ALEX!" She greeted with a loud cheer before emptying her hands. "Oh my gosh, where have you been!" She flung her arms around Lex's neck, enveloping her in a hug. "I just assumed when I hadn't heard from you that you were staying with Kyle...but now you're here with...is that Tony Stark?" She dropped her arms and was now staring at Tony with a gaping mouth.

"The one and only." He pulled his sunglasses off, smiled and winked. Rachelle was short, not standing taller than five feet. She had straight blonde hair and bright blue eyes. She reached over and turned off the music so that the three of them could talk.

"I'm sorry Rach, I wanted to reply to your texts but..." _But what?_ She couldn't tell Rachelle that Tony was her father, not yet. He'd want to keep that information secret for as long as possible. It was better for his company that way. She'd gotten kicked out of the only home she'd ever known. That wound seemed too fresh to expose in that moment. "I was offered a job." She decided to lead with the good news first. "Remember I had that big interview with the CEO of Stark Enterprises?"

"Right, that big boring one you were preparing for weeks." Rachelle remembered how Lex had paced up and down the room reading questions out loud, practicing how she was going to ask them.

"Well all that prepping turned out to be for the best." Tony said. "My CEO was very impressed with Miss Stallion's work. And now we're offering her an internship, and possibly a job following her graduation."

"Wow, Alex that's amazing!" Rachelle smiled. "You're Dad must have been so proud when you told him the news!"

"Um, yeah. Something like that." Lex mumbled. She pulled out the duffle bag she kept under her bed and started packing her clothes in it. "So I'm going to be staying with Mr. Stark for awhile. I'll probably be back and forth a lot since his company is on the other side of town."

"Oh. Okay. What should I tell Kyle when he comes asking about you?"

"We're going to stop by his room on our way out." Lex replied, stuffing some textbooks and a laptop in her backpack. "I'm sure Mr. Stark wants to meet him."

"Kyle's the boyfriend, right?" He vaguely remembered her mentioning something about the guy last night. "Oh yes. Mr. Stark would very much like to meet Kyle." Lex rolled her eyes, stuffing more textbooks into her dufflebag.

"Kyle, wants to be an English teacher. He lives two floors down and we met on move in day. He's kind of nerdy. You'll like him." She assured, zipping the dufflebag closed.

"So wait, does this mean you can get us invites to all the Stark parties?" Rachelle asked excitedly. "Like the kind that the celebrities go to and stuff?"

"She can." Tony nodded. "But she won't because underage drinking is against the law." He gave Lex a warning look while she slung her backpack over her shoulder.

"That's ironic, coming from you." She snorted. Not like she was planning on sneaking her eccentric roommate into New York Fashion week anytime soon anyway.

"Stark family rule." He shrugged. "Do as I say. Not as I do."

"So when are you coming back?" Rachelle questioned, realizing that Lex and Tony were ready to leave.

"Um...I'm not sure yet. I'll text you alright?" she plucked her favorite Teddy bear off her bed and started out of the room.

"Aren't you a little old to be sleeping with a teddy bear? Tony observed once they were alone together in the hall.

"Not when it comes from my dead mother!" She snapped. "She named him Tony." She clutching the bear to her chest. "Guess I know why now. And he wears a Tuxedo Tshirt because he likes to party, but wants to look good while doing it."

"Smart bear." Tony smirked. "Remind me to have Pepper get me a shirt like that. Now which way to Kyle's room?"

* * *

"No way!" Kyle answered the door to his room and found Iron Man himself standing in the hall. "You're Tony St…"

"I know who I am." Tony interrupted him. "Who are you? Are you Kyle?" He once again removed his sunglasses and studied the teenage boy. Kyle was a few inches shorter than himself. He had brown hair and blue eyes and he currently had a stupid awestruck grin on his face. "Come on, come on, I need answers!" He snapped his fingers.

"Yes, Tony this is Kyle." Lex said, peeking out from behind him. "Kyle, this is my Tony, can we come in?" Still unable to speak, Kyle jumped aside giving them enough room to enter. They stepped inside and Tony took in the sight of Kyle's excessive Avengers paraphernalia. There were Iron Man and Thor posters, a Captain America mug sat on his desk full of pens, and an Avengers bedspread covered his mattress Everywhere he looked there were caricatures of Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Lex had said the kid was nerdy, not obsessive.

"So, who's your favorite Avenger?" He asked with a winning smile.

"Iron Man of course!" Kyle was finally shaken out of his shock by the question. "And can I just say what an honor it is to meet you, sir." He stuck his hand out and waited for Tony to shake it.

"Pleasure's all yours, Kyle." Tony nodded. "Are we alone in here?" He waved his hands around. "I mean no one is hiding in your bathroom or anything?"

"No, sir." Kyle shook his head. His hand fell to his side. "My roommate, Steve, went home to see his parents and our other roommate, Jeff, he practically lives at the library so it's just us."

"Okay excellent. Have a seat then." Kyle immediately did as he was told and sat down on his bed. "I'm going to let you in a secret. Lex is my daughter. Give it a few seconds to sink in." He paused and Kyle opened his mouth. "We good?" The teenage boy shook his head _no._ "Okay, great. So as you can imagine, I'm going to be a bit over protective of her. Papa bear syndrome you get it. I just want to make something perfectly clear, if you hurt my girl in anyway, let's just say you'll have a very pissed off Iron-Dad and Earth's Mightiest Uncles to deal with. Any questions? No? I think we're done here." With that he left the room.

"What-what just happened?"

"Tony Stark is my biological father." Lex confirmed, rubbing the back of her neck. "I'm sorry you must be so mad at me for not telling you sooner."

"Are you kidding me?" Kyle jumped up from his bed excitedly. "I just got the 'that's my daughter' talk from _Iron Man!_ You are officially they greatest girlfriend in the entire world! Have you been to the tower yet? Can you take me sometime? Have you met the other Avengers yet? What are they like?"

"Yes, I'll have to ask Tony first, yes again and they are all people just like you and me." Lex answered his questions in order. "Look I hate to drop something like this on you and leave but I'm kind of worried what Tony's going to do if I leave him unattended in the hallway for too long. I'm going to be staying with him for awhile so we can get to know each other, but I'll call you later on tonight, okay?"

"Okay." She kisses him on the cheek.

"Oh and Kyle, you can't tell anyone about this alright?"

* * *

 **A/n: So now we've met Lex's roommate Rachelle & her boyfriend Kyle. Both of whom will be more important to the story as we continue forward. I hope you guys are still enjoying this story, and I promise more updates soon! Thank you to the one guest who took time to review Chapter 6, and thank you to everyone who has taken time to read this story thus far! **


	8. Chapter 8

Back at the Tower, Tony left Lex alone to unpack her things only after promising that he would be right down stairs in his workshop if she needed him for anything. He also reminded her that since it was a weekend Pepper would be home too, doing whatever it was that Pepper did when he was working in his workshop. She thanked him for the fiftieth time and started unpacking. The large guest room felt much too grandiose once she realized how little she actually owned. Unsurprisingly she did own a fair amount of clothing though. Outfits ranging from t-shirts and jeans to business casual now sat folded in the drawers or hung in the closet. But apart from that, there were very few items that added personality to the room. Lex threw herself down on the bed and pulled Tony the bear close to her. What had she gotten herself into?

"Man of Iron!" A booming voice called through the apartment which drew Lex from her melancholy thoughts. Curious, and knowing full well that an intruder would have had to get through several floors of Avengers and SHIELD agents to get to the pent house apartment, she poked her head out of the bedroom. Her mouth hung open as she took in the sight of the thunder god standing by the door. Lex had told Kyle earlier that morning that Avengers were just people, but watching Thor she realized just how wrong she had been.

"Alas, Lady Potts!" Thor greeted with another bellow. Pepper, it seemed, was used to these kind of interruptions. She came out of her office with a smile in place.

"Good afternoon, Thor." Was her reply.

"I seek an audience with the Man of Iron."

"I gathered as much. Tony's downstairs working." Pepper replied. Lex saw this as an opportunity to wander into the main part of the house. Intending to use her bio-dad's girlfriend as a social buffer, she edged out of her bedroom.

"You there," Thor pointed to the teenage girl who had just slinked into view. "You must be her, the daughter Stark."

"Yes." Pepper answered. "This is Alexandria. She belongs to Tony."

"Though I'm technically not a Stark." Lex added. She had no idea where the offhanded remark had come from.

"Would you like to be?" Tony had just come up the stairs from his workshop. He too was curious about her comment, but tried not to take it to heart. "Heard Lion-o going off up here, figured I'd see what's up." He smirked. "But seriously, we could get paperwork drawn up I've already got my lawyers working on a few things..."

"Hmmm." Lex rubbed her chin thinking it over. "Lex Stark..." She made a disapproving face. "Sounds like I'm trying too hard to belong to you. Maybe hyphenated? Stallion-Stark. Sounds more like I'm adding you on. Like a bonus. Alexandria Mackenzie Stallion-Stark. Much better."

"It's a mouthful, kiddo." Tony huffed. Though it certainly sounded like the name of a girl who came from money. A name that would scare off miscreants, because let's be honest Tony didn't have high hopes for Kyle whatever his non-hyphenated name was. Pepper watched them with awe. Only Tony Stark and his daughter could banter in front of a Norse god like he was just another house guest. Thor seemed to feel the same way since he sighed indignantly.

"I must speak with you most urgently, Man of Iron." Thor insisted.

"Right, Right, let's talk downstairs shall we? Thundercats Hooo!" Tony punched his fist in the air but neither Pepper, Lex nor Thor understood his reference. "Okay, you and you get a pass." He pointed to Thor and Lex in turn. "But you," he rounded on Pepper, "Sweetheart, how do you not know. Who the Thudercats are?"

"I'm sorry, I've been so busy running _your company_ that I don't have time to watch children's cartoons." Pepper quipped.

"Ah! So you do know who they are." Tony smirked once more. Pepper glared at him in response. "Let's go." He started down the stairs and motioned for Thor to follow.

"Unbelievable." Pepper shook her head.

"Gotta love a guy who doesn't care if he pisses off a thunder god though." Lex folded her arms and adopted her father's trademark smirk.

"Hey, while I've got you here," Pepper remembered one of the tasks still left on her ' _Get Lex Settled'_ checklist. "Tony mentioned that your phone doesn't work?"

"Yeah." Lex mumbled. She'd tried to text Kyle in the car, after she and Tony had left her dorm building, only to find out that dear old dad had cancelled her phone line.

"You know Tony and I are trying to keep things as normal as possible for you. So, I made a few calls and our phone company was able to recover your phone number and add it to our account. All we have to do is go down and pick out a new phone for you. I thought maybe you'd like to come with me. We can go shopping for anything else you might need while we're out."

"Can we go grocery shopping?" Lex questioned, taking the CEO by surprise.

"Um, sure. But we have plenty of food here, we also order in _a lot_."

"I know. But I want to cook you guys something, as a thank you. Please."

"I'm not one to turn down a home cooked meal." Pepper decided.

* * *

"That's it, this is officially _the best_ dinner I have ever had in my entire life." Tony pushed his now empty plate forward. Lex had prepared a feast of a meal including steak, baked potatoes, asparagus, carrots and sweet potatoes fries for Tony, Pepper, Steve, Thor, Bruce and Natasha. She blushed embarrassingly as compliments came alive around the table.

"It was truly delicious." Pepper agreed as she wiped her mouth with a napkin.

"How did you learn to season meat like that? So much flavor and you're nineteen years old! I couldn't cook like that at your age." Natasha marveled.

"But surely you had bested many opponents in combat by your nineteenth year, Lady Romanoff?" Thor appraised before taking a health swig from his flask.

"The fact that you can call me 'Lady Romanoff' and know that about me is one of the reasons why I like you." Natasha winked. She too took a healthy gulp of her drink.

"Well, we all know she didn't inherit her cooking skills from Tony." Bruce joked. Everyone laughed. Lex's cheeks were flushing pinker with every compliment.

"It wasn't that hard." She waved them all off. "I learned to cook when I started college a few months ago after I learned that college kids will do _anything_ for food."

"The same it seems, can be said for us it seems." Steve observed. "Would it be too presumptuous of me to ask if there's dessert?"

"Why, are you hoping there's _Ice_ cream, Rogers?" Tony made everyone laugh again.

"Laugh all you want, dessert is part of a balanced meal." Steve shrugged. "It's the best part in fact. And if it's half as fabulous as dinner was..."

"There is dessert." Lex promised feeling her cheeks darken again. "I really think you'll like it too, Cap, but it's not ice cream or _frozen_ fruit." She was egging Steve on to draw attention away from herself. It was a classic avoidance technique she had probably inherited from Tony. So maybe she wasn't into Science, but at least she knew that she had picked up something, other than her wild hair, from her biological dad. Lex returned to the table with a warm pie in her hands.

"Apple pie." She declared, nestling the dessert between Bruce and Natasha. "And, because you seemed so excited by the idea I found vanilla ice cream in the fridge." She placed a carton of ice cream in front of Steve.

"Well of course. What's apple pie without ice cream?" Tony's face lit up. "Speaking of which, Banner stop hogging the goods."


	9. Chapter 9

Over the next few days Lex started to feel at home at Tony and Pepper's place. She'd wake up every morning and have breakfast, sometimes Tony would join her and other times it was Steve, Bruce or someone else. Other days she ate her morning meal alone. After breakfast she would always shower and dress for the day. A process that was improved with the help of both Pepper and Natasha. After acquiring a new cell phone Pepper had synced Lex's calendar, contacts and pretty much any important information with JARVIS to help integrate the young girl into life in the tower. More helpfully Natasha, who Lex already affectionately began calling Aunt Tasha, had suggested that the teenage girl upload photos of her clothing into the AI.

"Trust me," Tasha had insisted. "Your whole day is a lot easier when you don't have to think about what to wear." Thus far the advice had proven quite valuable. It was incredibly convenient to be able to step out of the shower and talk with JARVIS about what to wear. In fact JARVIS himself was incredibly convenient. He could play music throughout the house, give outside weather and traffic conditions, and always helped answer any questions that Lex had.

The morning routine was only half her adjustment battle though. After dressing and gathering whatever textbooks she needed for the day, she would leave the Tower and make her way to the nearest subway station. She then rode the subway to the other side of city and attended her classes for the day. She would eat lunch on campus with Rachelle and Kyle and then if she was done with school for the day, ride the subway back uptown to help Pepper at the office. If she was feeling particularly ambitious that night she'd cook dinner before relaxing with her new adoptive family and calling it a day.

Tony had been working days and most nights with his lawyers on a lot of financial things. The exact details of which still hadn't been shared with Lex. She did know that he had been trying to set up a trust fund in her name and that he'd brought home paperwork for a legal name change one day. Paperwork that she had quickly and gladly filled out. She was still mad at her Oliver for practically throwing her at the first man who was willing to accept the financial burden but she was working to find the silver lining. Tony and the others were still going out of their way to make her feel welcome, so Lex was taking every day as it came, pushing through the struggles and reveling in joyful moments.

"JARRRRVVVIIIIISSSS..." Lex complained one Saturday morning when an annoying alarm noise woke her from a well deserved rest.

"Good morning, Miss Stark." The AI answered, stopping the alarm immediately.

"There's no way Tony lets you wake him with that ruckus." She grumbled, not getting out of bed just yet.

"You're right. Mr. Stark prefers to be woken by the song _Iron Man_ by Black Sabbath."

"Of course he does." She rolled her eyes. "I bet Pepper just _loves_ that."

"She does not." JARVIS disagreed. "Would you like me to set _Iron Man_ by Black Sabbath as your alarm song?"

"No! Dear god, no."

"Would you like to select a different song?"

"Yes. How about _Here Comes The Sun_ by the Beatles?"

"An excellent choice Miss. Stark. _Here Comes the Sun_ by the Beatles will be set for a five am alarm." JARVIS confirmed.

"Five am?" Lex hissed. "Is that what time it is now? Why the hell is my alarm set to five am on a Saturday? JARVIS set me a new alarm for noon time and don't wake me until then."

"It was Mr. Stark who set the alarm for you. He wanted to make sure you received this video message." A giant blue screen appeared in the middle of the bedroom with a video thumbnail of Tony.

"Oh-kay," She yawned, getting out of bed and sitting in the rolling chair near the desk Pepper had bought her. "Play the video from Tony." She rested her hands behind her neck and leaned back. The image of Tony began to move and she could tell he was putting on his Iron Man suit as he recorded.

"Lex, I'm sorry I'm sending you this message so early, but it's the middle of the night and Barton, Banner and I have been called away for something Science-y. I'm not sure how long we'll be gone but take care of Pepper, no wild parties and oh don't do anything I would do. There that seems like good fatherly advice. See you soon, Princess." Lex couldn't help but smile as she watched Tony suit up. Even as he was running out the door to save the world he stopped to leave her a video message. She normally didn't like pet names like 'sweetheart' or 'princess' but there was something about the way Tony said the worlds that made them feel genuinely endearing.

"J, can you email me a copy of this?"

"Certainly Miss. Stark."

"Cool. And wake me up again in four hours. Good night JARVIS." She mumbled before crawling back into bed.

"Good morning, Miss Stark."

"Snarky computer." She comment before pulling the bedcovers up to her shoulders and drifting back to sleep.

Beautiful guitar music woke Lex four hours later. She laid in bed for several minutes listening to the song as it played. When the lyrics came to an end she decided it was probably time to get out of bed and start the day.

"Good Morning, J."

"Good Morning, again, Miss Stark. The times is now 9:03 am Eastern time on October 18th and the temperature outside is 45 degrees. You have one message from Ms. Potts. She wanted me to inform you that she had some work to do at Stark Industries today. She will be returning home later this afternoon."

"Alright. No Tony, no Pepper, breakfast alone it is." She shrugged throwing the covers off. "I feel like waffles today. Oh and JARVIS if you could play my morning playlist."

"Of course Miss Stark."

"It's hyphenated!" She yelled at the house, plugging in the waffle maker. She started mixing the ingredients needed to make waffles while the drummed beginning of _Walking on Sunshine_ by Katrina and the Waves started playing.

" _I used to think maybe you loves me, now baby I'm sure. And I just can't wait till the day when you knock on my door. Now Every time I go for the mailbox, gotta hold myself down. Cause I just can't wait till you write me you're coming around."_ Lex sang along with the worlds as she mixed her waffle batter. It was her mother's favorite song, which never failed to put a smile on her face. " _I'm walking on sunshine, whoooahh..._ "

"I can see that." Taken by surprise, she dropped the bowl in her hands. It hit the ground and shattered, splattering waffle batter all over the lower kitchen cupboards. JARVIS stopped playing the music.

"What's the matter with you!" She turned to yell at whomever it was that snuck up on her, only to spot a tall, bald man with an eye patch glaring at her from the kitchen doorway. A small part of her wanted to know how it was possible for a one eyed man to glare at her but a larger part of her wanted to know who in the heck he was. "Um JARVIS, any chance you've got an ID on the imposing guy in my kitchen."

"The man standing before you is Nick Furry, director of SHIELD, Miss Stallion-Stark." The AI responded.

"Miss Stark?" Fury raised the eyebrow that didn't live above his eye patch. "So it's true you're Tony's daughter."

"Nick Fury director of SHIELD?" Lex imitated his expression and shrugged. "I thought you were a pirate on a search for buried treasure!"

"She's a Stark alright." Fury sighed.

"Did you think we made her up?" Natasha scoffed, pushing her way into the kitchen. "Bruce showed you his test, and Tony already claimed her. Look, you ruined breakfast." She frowned at the broken bowl.

"She was making breakfast? Is there any left?" Steve poked his head into the kitchen. He had come to love Alexandria's cooking even simple things like waffles. Anything home cooked properly tasted a thousand times better than modern 'fast' food.

"Not unless you want to lick it off the walls." Tasha said, picking up the shattered remains of the bowl.

"I can just make more if you guys are hungry." Lex sighed. "But Pepper probably isn't going to be too happy about the waffle bits being all over the kitchen."

"Why don't you, um, change out of your nightclothes? We can clean up this mess." Steve suggested averting his eyes from Alexandria's tank top. He was still getting used to how women of the era dressed. It seemed as time progressed females wore less and less clothing. Something he hadn't had a lot of exposure to being around Pepper, Jane and Natasha, but now there was a younger woman living in the tower wearing tighter pants and lower cut shirts.

"Yeah, okay." Lex, completely oblivious to Steve's old fashion modesty, was more interested in why the director of SHIELD was in the apartment. She figured it must have been important since he'd come all the way up there, but he had to know that neither Pepper nor Tony was home. Did he want to talk with her then? "Back in a flash!" She ran out of the room.

"Put on a sweater kiddo! Rogers looks like he's this close to a 'back in my day' lecture." Natasha hollered after her.

Lex returned to the kitchen, much to Steve's chagrin, wearing a brown tunic sweater and a pair of jeans. Seeing the forlorn look the super soldier was throwing at the box of waffle mix, she decided to start over on her breakfast prep.

"So," She said, putting the mixing bowl safely on a flat surface before looking Fury in the eye. "Let me guess you're here to tell me that despite Tony's best efforts to keep things under wraps, it's only a matter of time before it comes out to the public, the media, and the rest of world's bad guys that I'm his daughter. To which I'll reply; of course. Billionaire's like Tony Stark aren't going to be able to keep something like a secret daughter, secret for long. Next you'll tell me that for my sake and Tony's it would be best for me to leave the Tower and go back to my life. Well I'm sorry but that's not going to happen. It might look like I'm just using Tony and Pepper for their money or something but I'm not. I've been living here for a week or so and they've been taking care of me, sure, but I feel like I've been taking care of them too. I cook, I clean, I help Pepper at the office and I deserve to know my family. So no, I will not leave the tower and go back to my old life."

"That's not why we're here, Lexi." Tasha insisted.

"No one's kicking you out." Steve agreed. "Quite the opposite."

"We want to put you under protection." Fury explained. "Tony has a lot of enemies that a teenage girl is certainly no match for..."

"Now, hang on a minute. She could learn how to fight." Natasha cut in. She felt ridiculous for not suggesting this beforehand. "She's nineteen, that's plenty old enough to learn a few tricks. And I'm sure she's a quick study. She's Tony's kid after all."

"I don't think that's a good idea." Steve disagreed.

"No," Fury said. "It's a great idea."

"You can't be serious! She's a civilian!"

"We all were at some point." Natasha rolled her eyes.

"There's no one to teach her!" Steve argued.

"There's an entire training facility downstairs! And a training staff..."

"All of those people have assignments and enough work to do..."

"Then I'll train her myself!" Tasha snapped. "She's better off having some skills then being guarded by SHEILD's lower level agents."

"Can I just interrupt for a minute." Lex jumped in before the discussion got too heated. "I want to learn. I'm not saying I want to go on missions or have crazy high levels of security clearance or anything, but It's not like Pepper and Jane have SHIELD agents following them around everywhere they go. They're in just as much danger as I am. I want to be able to live my life as normally as possible."

"I'd like some time to think it over. This is an angle we hadn't considered." Fury decided getting down from his bar stool. "Until then," He looked over at Steve. "Everywhere she goes an Avenger goes with her. Don't need the girl dying on my watch because I left her with a lower level agent." He added a warning look in Natasha's direction before seeing himself out of the apartment.

* * *

 **A/N: It's been a few days since my last update, but, as I'm sure you noticed this chapter is twice as long as usual, so I hope that evens things out! as always I want to thank Saya the Jet Black Devil, Irianna Marie, and Kelsingra for your reviews of Chapter 8! Shout out to everyone who has taken time to read, review, favorite, and follow this story thus far! New chapters to come out soon!**


	10. Chapter 10

"Miss Stark, Captain Rogers is at the door for you." JARVIS announced Monday morning. Lex had just stepped out of the shower and she was running late on her morning routine.

"Oh fudge, are you kidding me?" She stumbled out of bathroom with a towel wrapped around her body. "Tell him to come in, but I'm going to need another minute to get dressed." Thankfully the guest bathroom was attached to her bedroom so she was free to dress while JARVIS invited Steve in. Her hair was thrown up in a messy bun, she was wearing a pair of jeans and Tony's old ACDC t-shirt since it was at the top of her clean laundry pile. She wasn't even wearing matching socks, but she shoved her feet into a pair of shoes just the same.

"I'm so sorry Steve!" She breathed after rushing him out the door. "I'm not usually this late."

"It doesn't much matter to me ma'am." He told her as they walked towards the subway station. "My job today is to go wherever you need, whenever you need."

"Okay." She huffed a lock of hair out of her eyes. "It's going to be a long day, Captain Rogers."

"Alex!" A bright streak of colors came running across the courtyard carrying a canvas. It was Lex's roommate Rachelle. "How was your weekend? Wait hang on…who is your hot new friend?"

"Listen Rach, I've been meaning to talk to you about that…"

"About your hunky new friend?" Rachelle was practically drooling as she studied Steve's chiseled face. "Has Kyle met him yet? Does he know you're seeing other guys?"

"Seeing other…Steve was friends with my grandfather and he's friends with my...Tony. He's like a hundred years old!" Lex laughed.

"I'm twenty seven." Steve's feelings were a little wounded. It wasn't his fault someone decided to thaw him out of that ice. "And I knew your grandfather, but I wouldn't say we were friends."

"Grandpa Howard wasn't exactly one for making friends was he? Shame I'll never get to have him over for tea." Lex sighed with little regret registering in her actual expression. Without a beat she looked over at her roommate. "Rachelle, please tell me you don't have a class right now. There are some things I really need to catch you up on."

"Yeah, I'm finished with class for the day, how about you?"

"Since it's quarter past nine I think it's safe to say I missed my eight am English class. I've got history at two, but until then I'm free. What do you say we head back up to our room, you're going to freak when I tell you what's been going on."

"Let me get this straight." Rachelle sighed after having everything explained to her once by Lex and then again by Steve. "Your biological father is billionaire Tony Stark, who is dating his company's CEO Pepper Potts. And you live in the Avengers tower with them?"

"Yes." The three of them were together in the girl's dorm room. Rachelle was laying on her bed with a pillow tucked under her arm, Lex was sitting cross-legged on her own bed and Steve was straddling one of the girl's desk chairs watching their back and forth exchange.

"And you're Captain Steve Rogers? _The_ Captain Steve Rogers who's always on the news? The guy they say was thawed out of the ice?"

"Yes ma'am."

"And you told Kyle a whole week before you told me?" Rachelle pouted.

"Technically Tony was the one who told Kyle." Lex reminded. "You have to understand I couldn't just go around telling everyone. It would have been too dangerous for you to know before the timing was right. But Tony will be back any day now and he'll schedule an official press conference. I wanted you to know before the general public."

"So your dad, your other dad, just left you there? He didn't try to work it out or anything?" Lex shook her head. This was the first time she had really talked about what had happened with Oliver.

"I was so surprised at first. He had always been a great dad. He took me to all my dance practices, my piano lessons, future leaders of America meetings...Then I start thinking about how he had sort of trained me to be this little business tycoon and you know Rach, I can't help but wonder if any of that is actually what I wanted. When am I ever going to need to know the seven movements of ballet? Do I like playing the piano? And do I even _want_ to go to business school? I don't even know who I am anymore! This whole thing has been kind of life changing and I don't know what to do to put it back on course."

"What do you think Captain Rogers?" Rachelle looked over at Steve. "If half the stories about you are true, you've seen some big changes in your life. So help us out. Shower is with your wisdom, Grandpa Steve! "

"Miss Rachelle," Steve decided to ignore her 'grandpa' comment for the moment. "I don't know if I've got much wisdom to shower you with. But if I know anything about Tony Stark, I'd have to say that he cares more about his daughter being happy than he does having a tycoon predecessor. It's been a long standing Stark philosophy that if you're happy the rest falls into place, and I think that dates further back than just your Grandfather Howard."

"And you said you didn't have any wisdom to shower us with." Lex smiled. "I guess I'll talk with Pepper and Tony when he gets home. If he ever gets home."

"They'll make it home." Steve promised. He realized this was the first assignment Tony had been gone on since Alexandria had come to live at the tower. "I can't say much, but I can tell you that where they went isn't particularly dangerous given our line of work and SHEILD has been in communication with your father the entire time."

"Good, because it would majorly suck if I went from having two dads to none within two weeks." Lex said. There was a knock at the door and Kyle's voice was calling from the other side.

"Rachelle, Lex, it's Kyle! Can I come in?"

"Oh no!" Lex jumped off her bed and crossed the room to the door. "I forgot to tell Kyle that you were going to be here today. He's a bit of an Avenger's fan so he is probably going act super weird. I apologize in advance for anything he says."

"It's alright. It happens all the time." Steve assured. Lex opened the door and invited Kyle inside.

"Captain Steve Rogers!" Kyle gasped. "Babe, you're officially the greatest girlfriend ever!" He kissed her on the cheek. He then thrust his hands out, which Steve got up from his chair to shake.

"It's nice to meet you Kyle." Steve smiled. Kyle adjusted his glasses and started to stare. He seemed too captivated by the super soldier's presence to contribute much more to their conversation.

"Kyle, I think I'm going to have to cancel our date tonight." Lex said, attempting to get her boyfriend talking again."I'm sorry but Tony's out of town and while he's gone, I'm being tailed by Grandpa Steve or Aunt Tasha everywhere I go. And I really don't think you want to go on a date with Captain America."

"Now hang on kids, there's no reason why you should have to cancel your plans." Steve interrupted. "I missed out on a dance with one heck of a gal because of my duty to my country. So unless one of you is planning on crashing a plane into some ice..."

"Wow, dating advice happens on a whole new level when your bio-dad and his friends are a bunch of world renowned mega-heroes." Rachelle observed getting out of bed. "I'd love to stay and watch this episode of Full House develop here in our dorm room..Oh wait no I wouldn't. If anyone needs me I'll be people watching in the quad to pad my sketchbook." Armed with the aforementioned sketchbook and a handful of pencils she left Lex to finish her discussion with Kyle and Steve.

* * *

 **A/N: I know someone mentioned in the reviews that they weren't exactly sure when this story takes place so I figured I should probably try to clear that up. Basically I imagine this story talking place sometime after Iron Man 3. So the Avengers are living in the former Stark Tower (which is now Avengers Tower.) For the most part everything is Canon up until that point.**

 **The only reason my Tony still has an arc reactor in his chest is because let's face it, it's completely stupid that they spent all of Iron Man 2 inventing a new element only to take it out in Iron Man 3. And all the Avengers already know about Clint's farm because again, how dumb is it that they come out of nowhere in Age of Ultron? I figured the information would come out much sooner than it did in the MCU.**

 **Other than that everything is pretty much canon. After all isn't that the fun of fan fiction? Getting to change parts of the canon? :D So thank you to Sabina Mohammad and for your reviews of Chapter 9! And thank you to everyone for reading, reviewing, favoriting, following and enjoying.**


	11. Chapter 11

Lex felt awkward walking down the street hand in hand with Kyle. It wasn't because she minded Steve walking with them. She knew it was safer having the super soldier close behind with a hood pulled up over his face than just the two of them out on an open street. But the fact still remained that she was suppose to be on a date with her boyfriend and her dad's very old fashioned friend had come along for the ride. She snuck a glance over her shoulder, and Steve smiled back. He gave a short nodded before averting his eyes. Kyle siezed the moment as the opportunity to sweep in and steal a kiss.

"C'mon." She shrugged him off. "Steve's right there."

"So!" Kyle laughed. He dipped down for another kiss which Lex lurched to avoid.

"It's bad enough he has to follow us, don't make him watch us make-out." She hissed, dropping her hand.

"We're almost at the movies anyway." Kyle decided. "Then the lights will dim and we can do all the making out that we want!" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. Lex couldn't tell if the novelty of meeting Captain America was starting to wear off or if he was trying to show off for Steve. Either way she was growing less and less amused with Kyle's childish behavior. It was a relief when they finally reach the movie theater.

Steve looked around the lobby of the megaplex. It was a drastic contrast to the cinemas that had been around in his time. Long gone was the grand marquee outside that proclaimed the weekly movie. It had been replaced by underwhelming paper posters that hung in lit frames on the walls. Rather than dressing up in their Sunday best, the movie goers wore the same casual clothes they'd been in all day. It wasn't all bad though, instead of just one screen the movie theater boasted an impressive 20! The concession counter served full means in addition to the traditional popcorn and soda and Steve swore he could see an alcoholic bar just beyond the ticket booth.

"So that will be what three tickets to Buckets of Dread?" Kyle asked when the three of them neared the front of the ticket line.

"Kyle, I already told you I'm not watching that dumb horror movie. If you want to see it, make Jeff and Steve come with you." Lex frowned.

"But babe I'll hold you during all the scary parts!" Kyle laughed. He put an arm around her waist and pulled her close. She giggled and kissed his neck forgetting for just a second that Steve was standing there.

"I'm sorry!" She mouthed when she spotted her over Kyle's shoulder. "Let's pick a movie that Steve would want to watch." Lex suggested. She quickly scanned the list of titles that were playing. " _Rocky_ was on your list wasn't it?" She untangled herself and turned to Steve.

"I'm sorry?" Steve had been going out of his way to listen to anything but Lex and Kyle's conversation.

"That list you carry around," Lex smiled. "Didn't someone suggest the _Rocky_ movies to you? They're playing the first one tonight. You can cross it off your list." She reached into her purse and pulled out her wallet.

" _Rocky_ is one of Lex's favorite movies. She's seen it at least fifty times." Kyle snorted. "You're really going to have me sit through it again?"

"Yes! Steve will love it! Rocky Balboa's struggles are a perfect example of the American Dream. There's a love story, boxing, friendship..." Kyle mouthed the words out to Steve as Lex rambled them off.

"Fine." He gave in at last, if only to stop her from recounting the speech he knew by heart. "Rocky it is."

"And I think it's my turn to pay." Lex said. She started counting out the bills from her wallet.

"I'm sorry." Steve interjected. "I know I said that I was just here for safety, but I insist that you let me pay for the movie. I know that it's old fashioned of me, but hey I get a military discount." He pulled out his own wallet and started to count.

"Forget it, dude." Kyle snorted. "She never lets me pay for the movie. On a good day I can coax her into splitting it."

"Well, Miss Stark, this is a lesson I'm working on teaching your father, sometimes the old fashion way is the superior way of doing things." Steve stepped forward, removing the hood from his face. He slid the small amount of money and his military ID card under the window to the guy working the ticket line. "Three tickets to the _Rocky_ film, please."

"Yes sir, Mr...Rogers? Mr. Steve Rogers?" The ticket guy suddenly became very excited.

"I'd appreciate it if we could keep this quiet." Steve whispered. "I'm just here to take some friends of mine out for a quiet night at the theater. Really they're taking me out, since I've never seen _Rocky_ before."

"Of course, Mr. Rogers." The ticket guy rapidly began nodding his head up and down. When the tickets printed, he slid them under the glass along with Steve's ID and his change. "Thank you for your service and enjoy the show, Captain." He smiled.

"What was that about?" Lex asked, taking one of the tickets that Steve offered out to her and Kyle.

"Ticket guy was a fan." Steve explained.

"Did he ask for an autograph?"

"No, but he might have been too shy to ask. Do you think I ought to give him one?" He looked back at the ticket booth, but the guy who had helped him was already printing a new set of tickets for someone else. "One the way out then." He resolved. "Anyone want some popcorn?"


	12. Chapter 12

Tony finally returned from his mission the following week. It was late on a Wednesday night and he desperately wanted to curl up in bed with Pepper and get a good day's rest. Maybe two. Hell he'd probably sleep for a week. He flicked on the lights and was surprised to see Nat sleeping on his couch. Actually he had to assume she _was_ sleeping since she sprung to her feet the second the lights went on.

"Oh it's you." Nat relaxed the second she spotted his familiar face. "Banner said not to expect you guys back for a few more days."

"Well, Banner doesn't know how to fly a jet, so." The billionaire shrugged. "Care to explain why you're in my house?"

"Fury's idea." She yawned. "You'll have to take it up with him. Basic gist is that when he found out you and Pepper were going to go public with Lex, he thought it might be a good idea to have a security detail for her. So Rogers and I have been taking turns following your kid everywhere and sleeping on your couch." She rubbed her neck which had gotten sore from her crunched sleeping position. "Fancy a cup of Joe?" She invited Tony into his own kitchen and started brewing a pot of coffee. "Hey JARVIS," she called out to AI who was always awake. "Ring up Banner and Barton, see if either of them want a cup of coffee."

"For the fun of it," Tony added "Wake up Rogers too. I want to know all about Fury's plans for my kid. Speaking of which, I'm going to check on my kid and then my Pepper."

Lex was sleeping soundly in her room just as Tony would have expected. She had her cherished teddy bear from her mother tucked under her neck. Satisfied that everything was in its place, he began to creak her door closed again when _Iron Man_ started to play loudly.

"JARVIS!" He hissed. "Stop playing!" But it was too late, Lex was already stirring in her bed.

"Alarm off." She mumbled and the music stopped. "J, what time is it?" She yawned, not opening her eyes.

"It is three AM Miss Stark."

"Three?" She was about to fall back asleep, when she realized what song was just playing. "Tony's home!" She smiled waking up for real. With her eyes open she spotted her father standing by the door. Lex tossed off her bed sheets and flew across the room. He barely had time to brace himself before the teenage girl had latched her arms around his neck.

"Did you miss me, Princess?" Tony laughed, wrapping his own arms around his daughter's waist. They hugged for a few seconds before separating.

"Did I ever!" She laughed too. Then she seemed to remember that he was Tony Stark, she was his estranged daughter, and they were supposed to be above all this mushy family stuff. "I mean you know, I guess I missed you or whatever."

"Way to play it cool." He smirked. "So Aunt Nat's here. She was sleeping on the couch when I got in. What's that about?"

"Director orders from the one-eyed pirate captain Fury." Lex explained. "More on that later. Let's go wake Pepper and tell her you're home!"

There was no need to wake up Pepper since Clint, Bruce, and Steve had done so upon their arrival. They hadn't intended to wake her, but the three highly trained SHIELD agents weren't exactly the quietest. Natasha was leaning against the counter with a steaming cup of coffee grasped tightly between her hands. Banner was sitting at the breakfast bar reading something off his tablet to Steve, who was seated beside him. Clint just stared down at his completely full cup of black coffee. Lastly Pepper stood by the fridge pouring orange juice into half a glass of champagne.

"Good morning everyone." Lex yawned as she stepped into the kitchen with Tony. Her father immediately walked over to Pepper and wrapped his arms around her.

"It's a little early to start drinking don't you think?" He joked, kissing her neck.

"If we measured using the official Tony Stark drinking timeline, two am is exceptionally late." Pepper quipped.

"Well played." Tony agreed. "I think I'll skip the hangover and go right to the coffee myself." He reached for the coffee pot and turned it upside down. It was empty. "Which one of you squatters polished off the last of my java?" He frowned.

Rolling her eyes, Pepper starting measuring out a fresh scoop of coffee grinds. Tony, filled the coffee pot with water not waiting for an answer from his fellow Avengers. Lex watched them from the door way. There was something magical about the way the couple moved in complete synchronization. Like two halves of the same person. It had become apparent from her first day at the tower that there was no Tony Stark without Pepper Potts and vice versa.

Lex scanned the room again. Aunt Tasha had finished her cup of coffee and was watching Clint carefully. He hadn't moved from his position and the Black Widow's face was wrinkled with worry. Steve and Doctor Banner were having a new conversation, the tablet now resting between them. Despite their attempts to look casual and comfortable, Lex could see the ware behind the tired eyes of everyone else in the room.

"Who wants some breakfast?" She asked, trying her best to channel Tony's natural warmth. It seemed to work as breakfast favorites were ordered from around the room. Lex melted down a slice of butter in one of the larger frying pans and started to crack open eggs.

"Let me help." Clint got to his feet, emptied his full cup of coffee out in the sink before igniting a second burner on the stove. She briefly considered rebuffing his help but the archer looked like he needed something to become occupied with. So she slid over to make room.

"Is anyone going to tell me what happened with Fury while I was gone?" Tony plucked up an apple from a bowl of fruit and bit into it.

"He wanted to have Alexandria followed from now on by SHIELD agents." Steve explained. "A protection program, the whole nine yards."

"But that's not going to happen." Lex said over her shoulder.

"Well of course not." Tony agreed. "Huge waste of resources. I can pay Happy and his guys to do it without the Government benefits and they'll be twice as good."

"But I don't want to have anyone following me around!" Lex waved her spatula in the air in protest. "and besides Aunt Nat said she'd train me."

"No." Tony looked at his teammate in betrayal. Natasha crossed her arms as if to say it wasn't that big of a deal.

"I'm sorry?" Lex put her spatula down and spun around.

"I said no." Tony repeated firmly. "I can't allow that."

"But Tony..." Lex stopped herself. She desperately wanted to advocate for her and Tasha's side but she didn't really want to argue with Tony. It seemed too soon for them to have their first fight. The last thing she wanted was to seem ungrateful for everything he and Pepper had already done for her. On the other hand, she thought it was very important that she learn to defend herself.

"Don't do that." His eyes softened, though he was still visibly upset. "Never let someone else win an argument just because you think you owe them something. That might be how business works but you can't run the rest of your life like a strategy model. So come on, let me hear it." For added effect he waved his hands as if trying to call the words out of his daughter's mouth.

"Well..." Lex gulped. She was amazed that he had seen right through her so quickly. "I just think that it's unfair of you to tell me I can't learn a little bit of what you do every day. That's what family is. Sharing pieces of who you are to make this whole big thing. Oliver, my mom, they did that for me, and I'd like to have the chance to do that again. Not just with you and Pepper, but with Aunt Nat, Grandpa Steve, Dr. Banner, Chef Hawkeye..." She nudged Clint with her elbow, which earned her a small smile. He was slowly developing a soft spot for the younger version of Tony Stark.

"Why am I stuck being the grandpa?" Steve grumbled. The others laughed as if the reasoning should be obvious.

"You're the oldest." Tony shrugged. "We're tabling this conversation for now." He added to Lex. "And for god's sake could someone get me that plate of bacon I ordered?"

* * *

 **A/N.: Thank you to SummerMistedDragon for your review of Chapter 11! I truly love reviews. They help motivate me to write! So to everyone, please review! Thank you for favoriting, following, liking, and enjoying! New chapters will be out soon.**


	13. Chapter 13

In the end Lex and Natasha got their way. It was decided that she should be given lessons on defender herself. To add insult to injury Steve wanted her to get some basic survival skills and pick up a few weapons lessons as well. Much to his protest, Tony was forced to walk with Nick Fury and his teenage daughter as the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. gave Lex a tour of various areas.

"That's my office over there." Fury pointed to a large room at the end of a hallway. Several large monitors were flickering with footage; of what she could only guess.

"How do you watch all those screens?" Even from a distance the constant motion on the monitors was enough to make her sick.

"He turns a lot." Tony explained proudly. He had asked the same question during his first mission with S.H.I.E.L.D. Though he was pretty sure Maria Hill had been joking when she'd replied.

"That must be exhausting." Lex exclaimed. She also couldn't tell if that was meant to be a joke or if Tony simply enjoyed irritating Fury.

"Let's just keep moving." Fury huffed. He wondered who or what he had pissed off to be cursed with _two_ Tony Starks. The small tour group entered a main hallway where Thor and Steve were talking.

"Daughter Stark!" The thunder God called out to her. "The Captain tells me that you will soon be joining our ranks as warrior! This news is most excellent." He smiled.

"Not exactly." She said, reading the panicked expression on her father's face. Tony had only agreed to let Lex begin her training with the understanding that she would never be joining the team out in the field. This wasn't an issue for her since she had no ambition to follow in his footsteps as Iron Girl or some other ridiculous nomenclature. "Think of me as a warrior in training, indefinitely." She told Thor.

"I look forward to battling with you Lady Alexandria." Thor nodded politely before excusing himself from the conversation.

" Miss Stark, this seems as good a place as any to end our tour." Fury decided. He was glad to be rid of her and Tony if only for the next few hours. "I leave you in the capable hands of Captain Rogers." He turned on his heels and stalked off in the same direction that Thor had gone.

"Where's Romanov?" As far as Tony knew Natasha was suppose to be teaching his daughter's first combat lesson. Now the woman in question seemed to be missing.

"Laura Barton needed her help with something. That's all I was told." Steve said. "I'm your replacement instructor today, Alexandria."

"Maybe we should wait for her to get back before we start all this." Tony frowned.

"Stark, the sooner we get started the better. Alexandria will be just fine."

"Of course she will. She's a Stark." Tony agreed. "It's you I'm worried about. Wouldn't want you to break a hip there, Gramps."

"I'm younger than you!" Steve countered. "Aren't you like forty?"

"I'm going to ignore that you said that. And you're only younger than me in ice years. Your social security number is from 1919. So as far as the federal government, and I, are concerned you're eighty something." Steve opened his mouth to argue again but Lex decided to step in.

"Tony, I want to get started as soon as possible. I can work with Aunt Nat when she comes back, it will be fine. In the mean time, if you could just be cool Iron-Dad and trust me..."

"Did you just call me Iron Dad?" Tony grinned. It was a goofy child-like grin.

"I'm sorry. It still seems too soon to just call you Dad but even the paparazzi is allowed to call you Tony so I just..."

"Looks like everything checks out here. I will see you at dinner, Daughter Stark." He repeated Thor's words from earlier before leaving Lex and Steve alone.

"I freaked him out a little just now didn't I?" She turned to Steve worriedly.

"Nothing he can't handle." Steve shrugged. "Are you ready to get started?"

Lex didn't know what to expect going into her training. She had never given self defense lessons much thought. It had always seemed unnecessary in an age where emergency services can be reached with the tap of a button. She was more than capable of dialing 9-1-1, and it wasn't like she was out roaming the streets every other night. Maybe what Fury said about Tony having a lot of enemies had scared her. Maybe it was the internet's modern feminism getting to her. Maybe it was the fact that she had found female role models in Natasha and Pepper. Whatever the reason, she was now 100% committed to learning.

Inhaling a nervous breath, she followed Steve into a small padded gymnasium. Floor to ceiling the room was covered in blue mats. She could feel the bounce of the mats under her sneakers when she trailed the Captain into the center of the room. She pulled her loose tendrils into a high ponytail, and poised her hands in front of her face just as she had seen Sylvester Stallone do countless times in the _Rocky_ series.

Steve watched her take stance on the balls of her feet and studied the expression on her face. It turned out knowing three generations of Starks had its advantages because he could read Alexandria like a book. Right now her face was telling him _"This might be a bad idea but it's too late to change my mind now."_ It was a seldom used expression of Howard's, but an ever popular one for Tony.

"We're going to take this one step at a time. Just try to relax, Miss Stark." He assured.

"Relax, right." She shook out her hands and bounced on her toes. "Okay, ready!" She threw up her hands again.

"You shouldn't tuck your thumbs into your fingers like that, they'll get broken. Leave the rest rolled up and keep your thumbs outside. Yes, like that. Now, the easiest way for us to teach you, is to see where you're at. So show me what you've got."

Lex took a minute to think back on what she knew about fighting. Short of a few punching combinations from _Rocky_ she was drawing a blank. She studied Steve, his genetically mutated muscles visible through his tight blue shirt. He was maybe an inch taller than her so the height difference was negligible, but he probably had a few pounds up on her. Even with all her own weight thrown into a punch, it most likely wouldn't affect him. This thought process lasted no more than a minute. Lex decided to let her instincts take its course. Without thinking she kicked Steve in the only place she could sense as a weakness; his groan. Rather than doubling over in pain Steve laughed.

"I suppose that's one way to get the job done. but I'm afraid that doesn't work on a super soldier..." He was lecturing her about something, but she wasn't quite listening. Another good instinct had come to mind. While Steve rattled on, she hooked her right foot around his left ankle and pulled. Taken by surprise his feet were swept out from under him. He landed hard on the mats, flat on his back. Being a super soldier he wasn't hurt, but his ego was bruised a little.

"You have good instincts, Miss Stark." He said as he sat up. "We just have to refine them a bit."

* * *

 **A/n: Thank you to SummerMistedDragon & DimmensionJumperAlpha for your reviews of Chapter 12! I hope you enjoyed Chap. 13! I'm currently working on Chapter 14 which will hopefully be out later today!**


	14. Chapter 14

"We are running late people! let's go!" Tony called through the apartment. He stepped out of his bedroom fiddling with his cuff links. Lex and Pepper were already dressed, ready to go, as they had been for the past twenty minutes. The family of three were about to leave for their big announcement press conference. Lex had awoken early, had her breakfast and dressed to impress that morning. Pepper followed a similar routine, enjoying a morning cup of coffee before waking Tony. The man of the hour had taken the longest to motivate.

"C'mon ladies, let's show some hustle!" He sighed. "What are you doing? Watching the news? There's no need, you're going to be on the news..." Rolling their eyes in unison, Pepper turned off the TV while Lex got to her feet.

"I thought you said there was no need to rush." She took one of her coats off its hook by the door. " _You said_ that since we called the press conference we got to be as late as we wanted."

"Hmmm that definitely sounds like something I would say." Tony rubbed his chin.

"That's because you _did_ say it." Pepper agreed, pulling her own coat over her arms. "Let's go, Happy's been waiting in the car for a half-hour." She opened the door and shoved Tony out of the apartment. Lex followed, securing the door behind them.

"Good morning everyone!" Happy greeted his three favorite people as they stepped out of the front door of Avengers Tower. "Ms. Potts you're looking dashing as ever. Miss Stark, always a pleasure. Tony." He nodded as each of them slid into the back seat of the limo. He couldn't help but feel well, happy. Five years ago he didn't think it would have been possible for Tony Stark to have a family. Yet there he was, wedge between his girlfriend and daughter laughing about something Happy couldn't quite hear.

"Don't look so nervous, Princess." Tony smirked. He, Pepper and Lex were standing in a hallway of Stark Industries, just outside of the Press Conference room. "I saw you fight Dr. Banner for the last piece of toast three days ago and you're scared of a few reports with flashing lights?"

"We live in a building packed with people trained to take down Banner if he goes full Hulk. There's no one to take down reports." Lex explained.

"Sure there is. You ever seen the video of Pep disarming a reporter with one look during the quarterly reports? It was oh, two years ago? Video went practically viral on Youtube. Let me show you..." He pulled out his phone, but Pepper stopped him.

"We don't have time. Let's just get in there. You'll do fine Lex and we will be there with you the whole time." Without waiting for either of them to reply, she pushed opened the doors of the conference room. She strode across the floor and stopped at the podium.

"Good Morning!" Pepper greeted the room of reporters and social media representatives. She paused to check her watch. "And it just turned twelve PM, so I suppose I should be saying 'good afternoon.'" There were chuckles throughout the room. "Now many of you know that I detest being late, please allow me to deeply apologize for my lateness as I am traveling with Mr. Tony Stark today." Hearing his cue, Tony kicked open a door of the conference room.

"Did someone mention the incredibly handsome, yet seldom punctual Tony Stark?" The crowd inside the room cheered at the sight of Tony.

"Okay, I guess I'll just wait here then." Lex sighed. She watched through the small window inside the door as Tony strode across the room. He blew kisses and threw up peace signs the entire trip up to the podium. Once he arrived next to Pepper, he gently hip checked her, taking up a larger portion of the room.

"How's everyone doing today?" The room was once again cheering for him.

"Yes, we're all glad to have Mr. Stark here today." Pepper accepted the handheld microphone that one of her audiovisual guys handed her, and continued her prepared speech. "And while he will be answering some questions today, there is someone else that we'd like you to meet. Many of you may have noticed the young woman who was recently hired at Stark Industries. She's interning for us as credit towards her business degree at New York University."

"Doesn't Ms. Potts paint a lovely picture?" Tony interrupted from the podium. "We all know you don't really care about our interns GPA. You want to know what color her eyes are, what her star sign is. The fun stuff." He shrugged and again made the crowd laugh. Lex was inspired. She'd seen Oliver Stallion deliver speeches hundreds of times before, but he could never command the room the way Tony did. He was so charismatic. The press was literally hanging on his every word. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the podium.

"Well, I'm going to let you all in on a little secret." He lowered his voice dramatically. "But hey, let's not keep this one between us. So you guys from Buzzfeed," He pointed at the social media reps in question, raising his tone back up to normal. "Please put this at number one on your 'twenty times Tony Stark shocked the world.' article. That intern we hired to work for Pepper, she's not just a random genius off the street. She's my random genius. That's right ladies and gentleman, Tony Stark has a daughter." Immediately the reporters, social media representatives and photographers were a buzz. Questions were flying from every corner of the room. Tony had to hold up his hands to silence them.

"Now, Ms. Potts and I could spend all day answering questions about Alexandria, but I'm sure you'd much rather hear from her." He pointed over to the door and Lex knew that was her cue to enter. Pushing her shoulders back, she put on her best winning Stark smile and stepped inside. It seemed appropriate to give a princess wave as she walked up to the podium, so she did. In a way she supposed she was like a Princess, currently being the only heir to the Stark Family empire. Pepper passed her handheld mic off to Lex and she warmly greeted the room.

"Afternoon, my name is Alexandria Mackenzie Stallion-Stark. and yes, that last name is hyphenated. If it's all the same to you, I'd also like to stick to the fun questions myself. As far as eye color, I'd say a dreamy brown. And zodiac since Tony brought it up, I'm an Aries. God of war, very appropriate for any Stark offspring." There was laughter in the room again. Lex was beaming. She had actually managed to make the crowd laugh. "So, any other questions?" Several hand shot up in the air at once.

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you to SummerMistedDragon and BlueRaider1993 for your reviews of Chapter 13!  
**

 **BlueRaider1993, I'm glad you're enjoying this story even though you're not a huge Avengers fan. I personally know more about the movies than I do about the comics, so I'd say I'm not a huge fan either. I'm not sure when the next Elenora update will be coming out. I'm waiting for inspiration to strike!**

 **As always I want to thank everyone who has taken time to review, favorite, following, and enjoy this story! New chapters to follow as soon as possible!**


	15. Chapter 15

Holidays had never been a big deal in the Stallion household. When Daisy had been alive she was either too busy or too tired to prepare a turkey or even a club sandwich. Oliver had tried of course, but Holidays were mandatory days off. He wanted to enjoy the football game or parade on tv and relax. So when the time came for Lex's first Thanksgiving at the tower, she was determined to make it special.

"What do you guys usually do for Thanksgiving?" She was sitting cross-legged on the floor while Tony and Pepper were nestled together on the couch. Chinese food take out boxes were scattered across the coffee table.

"You're looking at it." Tony gestured at the boxes with his chopsticks.

"So everyone comes over for Chinese and watches the parade?"

"If by everyone, you mean me and Pep..."

"I think she means _everyone._ " Pepper said. "Steve, Bruce, Clint..." Lex nodded. That was precisely what she was trying to ask.

"Oh. We don't usually get together for the holidays." He shrugged before shoveling his mouth full of pork fried rice. "Barton likes to be with his wife and kids. Sometimes he convinces Nat to go with him. If Thor's around he'll get pulled away by Jane. Rogers probably goes to the nursing home to visit all his war buddies. Although last year Banner stopped by to watch the football game so that just leaves Pepper and I, and you of course, if you'd like to join us for our usual take out meal."

"I just assumed that everyone got together for some big long dinner with a giant turkey; watching the parade. You know, team bonding and all that stuff." Lex looked down at her carton of egg rolls in disappointment. She'd thought for sure Tony would enjoy the holidays. What with his love for grandeur and all. Then again from what she knew of Howard Stark it wasn't really a surprise at all that his son wouldn't be one for family events.

"Team bonding?" Tony smirked. "Sounds exactly like the sort of thing Rogers would advertise."

"Right." Lex nodded. She realized that if she was going to get the spectacular Thanksgiving she had always dreamed of, she'd have to present the holiday to each of the Avengers in a way that would appeal to each them. If team building would be all it takes to convince Steve, she knew exactly how to get Tony to agree.

"Can we throw a Thanksgiving day party? Turkey day themed cocktails, Macy's Parade drinking games..."

"Hold on they have Macy's parade drinking games?" Now Tony was very interested.

"Sure! Or they will as soon as we make one up. You know take a shot every time a giant character balloon floats by..." Lex smiled.

"Now that actually sounds like a lot of fun. I could go for something like that." His eyes glazed over as if he was already imagining the possibilities. Suddenly he clapped his hands together. "Invite the others. I have several ideas! Better yet JARVIS, call a meeting..."

"No JARVIS! I mean, I'd much rather talk to them personally. Right now actually." Lex put her carton of eggrolls down and started towards the door.

* * *

Bruce and Clint were in the scientist's lab. They had been working on reverse engineering a classified object from HYDRA. It was low level tech that probably wouldn't take very long to crack if they weren't interrupted. Which given the tower's other residence was a near impossible task. As if to prove this sentiment, JARVIS announced there was a visitor to the lab.

"Dr. Banner, Miss Stark would like to speak with you." The AI explained. Bruce tried not to let his confusion show as he invited her in.

Lex had become well aquatinted with nearly everyone in the tower. She and Clint had bonded over their talent for cooking. Nat had gladly taken up the role of the 'cool aunt'. Steve seemed to enjoying having someone around patient enough to explain this or that. Even Tony and Pepper had worked out a sort of friends-but-parents type of relationship. That left only Bruce as the odd man out once again.

He liked Lex well enough from what little he knew of her. However she had made it very clear from the first day that she had zero interest in science. Something that happened to take up a lot of his time. Not that he wanted to entertaining company anyway. That task was always better off when entrusted to someone else.

"Oh good, Clint's here too!" Lex smiled as she walked into the lab. "So I have a plan but I need your help."

"Does this plan involve wearing shoes?" Clint gestured towards her bare feet. It seemed in her hurry she hadn't bothered to put on socks nor shoes.

"Oops." She looked down at her feet and shrugged before looking back up. "If it did, I guess I'd be starting off on the wrong foot! Ha Ha." She faked a laugh. "Jeez, tough crowd. Look I didn't come all the way down here just to make puns. I want to have a big Thanksgiving. I've never had a big holiday before and this will be my first one with Tony and Pepper and..."

"And you want it to be special. That's understandable." Clint nodded.

"How can we help?" Bruce asked.

"Come to the Thanksgiving Party that Tony thinks we're throwing?" She suggested hopefully. "I told him we could make up some Macy's Parade drinking game and invite everyone over. Clint, I know you probably want to spent the day with your family but maybe if you could swing by for an hour or so while the parade is on? And Dr. B I know you're not exactly a fan of social gatherings, but it would mean a lot to me, and I'm sure Tony and Pepper too, if you could come by at least for a little while."

"Well I..."

"I have a better idea." Clint said pulling his cellphone out of his back pocket. "My wife's been dying to meet you, and she always cooks way too much food during the holidays. It'd be nice to have someone to feed it too for once. Hi Laura, how would you feel about hosting everyone for Thanksgiving?...Well Nat of course, but Banner, Rogers, Tony, Pepper, Alexandria, and maybe Thor and Jane if he shows up between now and then. Great!" He hung up the phone with his wife. "She said it should be no problem."

"This is going to be awesome! We'll watch the parade here and then head over to your farm which will have more than enough room for everyone, and then we can all have dinner together! Thanks so much for offering up your place. If you or Mrs. Barton need help with any of the cooking or you want me to bring desserts or anything, I'm your girl! Can I assume you'll handle getting Aunt Tasha to agree to come?"

"Should be easy enough. She comes along with me most years, but I'd better check with Maria, make sure she's not planning on sending any of us away that week. Good luck trying to convince Banner to come though." He winked before heading towards the door.

"Tony said that last year you guys watched the football game together." Lex's gears were churning. She liked Dr. Banner a lot because he reminded her of her mother. They were both incredible scientists in their field but never bragged about it. Both also seemed to prefer the predicable reactions of lab experiments to social situations that could become easily volatile. Perhaps that was what had drawn her mother to Tony in the first place. He had a scientific mind but was also an obvious schmoozer. Now she was getting off topic. The point was she really liked Dr. Banner from what little she knew about him and she wanted to get to know him better. She decided to just tell the truth.

"You remind me of my mother." She confessed. "She was a lot like you and I could really use someone like her in my life again. She taught me how to look at things differently, objectively. And I think you need someone like me too, because she did. Whatever kind of person I am, she needed it. And I would like for you to join us for Thanksgiving dinner."

"How could I turn down an invitation like that?" Bruce smiled because well, he really couldn't turn down an invitation so heartfelt. He was marveled by the way she seemed to get exactly what she wanted without making him feel as if he'd compromised something in return. Maybe Tony was wrong to sideline her from their line of work, there was a hero's heart inside that young girl.

"Thanks Dr. B. I'll try to make it as fun as possible! For now I've gotta run. I wanna talk to Steve before Tony gets to him!" And so the young girl was gone as quickly as she'd come.

* * *

Steve was the last of the Tower's residents left to invite. The whole way from Bruce's lab, Lex had been trying to think of the best way to phrase in invitation to the super soldier. Should she do as Tony suggested, point out that it would a great team bonding experience? Should she be as honest as possible like with Dr. Banner? Or would it be best to construct a tiny white lie? Still weighing her options, she reached his door.

Steve wasn't surprised when he heard a knock at his door. Being the Captain of the team he was hosts to guests throughout most of the day. Debriefings from missions or quick hellos and goodbyes were the most common reason for visits, but lately he'd found himself playing host to Stark's daughter. She had appeared out of nowhere at their doorstep one day and was slowly worming her way into the hearts of all the Avengers. Cap had to admit that he personally had a soft spot for the girl since the first day. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but there was something about her that drew him in. So he had begun to look forward to her almost nightly visits after dinner with Tony and Pepper.

"Evenin' Miss Stark." He smirked, upon finding her in the hall with no shoes on. "Aren't your feet cold?"

"Little bit." She shrugged. "Can I come in?"

"Be my guest." He invited her in and secured the door once again following her entrance.

"So before you were iced Thanksgiving was still like a big deal to people right?" She questioned sitting on one of his kitchen chairs.

"Well sure." He nodded. "Almost all the stores and restaurants were closed so that people could spend the day with their families. Of course once the war started more and more boys were away. Even nurses and doctors were being sent overseas so it was hard to get everyone together for things like Christmas. Now it seems people avoid spending time with their families on purpose."

"I guess I'm a product of the times then." She sighed. "Because I've never had a big holiday celebration."

"Well why not?"

"My mum was always too busy with her work and my...Oliver, he was always too tired from working the rest of the year. He never had the energy to put together a big celebration. As I got older I kind of just got used to it." She shrugged. "So I was just wondering what it must have been like to make a big deal out of at least one Holiday."

"Have you talked to Stark? He's never needed an excuse to throw a party before." Steve chuckled.

"Sort of." Lex went on to explain that Tony had agreed to a party during the parade, but that he didn't yet know of Clint's invitation. "So you see I kind of thought if I could get everyone else to agree to go, maybe then Tony and Pepper would agree to come too. It has to be worth a shot, right?"

"I can't speak for Tony," Steve shook his head. "But I think that if you tell him how important a big dinner would be to you, he might change his mind about having one. And whether Tony agrees to come or not, I'd be happy to join you and the others at the Bartons for Thanksgiving."

"Really? Thanks Steve! I promise this will be the best Thanksgiving since you've thawed out!" She winked.

* * *

 **A/N: So sorry that I've been away from this story for so long! The last Chapter Update was in like...March? gosh I'm sorry! I've been busy doing some real world stuff, and I've been working on this chapter bit by bit in between. But** **I just came home from seeing Civil War and I needed some fluff. (Seriously bring tissues with you it is a heavy movie that pulled at my heartstrings!) I'm going to try getting back to more frequent updates, so fingers crossed this isn't the last time you hear from me. (PS I know there isn't a ton of plot going on at the moment but I am building to a few heavy story lines. :D )**

 **Thank you to SummerMistedDragon, dstowe123, HMC, EmeraldDraegon, Kaitlin2318 & Weasleylover123 for your reviews of Chapter 14!**


	16. Chapter 16

Thanksgiving morning Lex made a frivolous attempt to drag a brush through her tangled mess of hair. Sometimes she really wished that she had inherited Tony's scientific genius instead of his physique. At least knowing Pi up to 83,000 digits would spark an interesting conversation. What use was wavy hair? It couldn't even decide if it wanted to be straight or curly. Though, she mused pulling her locks into a tight bun, she really shouldn't sell herself short. She had always fared well in almost every other subject in school, so perhaps she'd inherited the genius gene after all. Maybe Science, she decided, just had a problem with her. After sighing disappointedly into her mirror, Lex decided she was ready to venture outside of her room.

"There she is, the girl of the hour!" Tony cheered from his position behind the bar as his daughter stepped out into the main room of the apartment. Natasha, who had been leaning against the bar, raised her glass and nodded in acknowledgement. Dr. Banner smiled from his own seat at the bar.

"Happy Thanksgiving!" Lex smiled back at them before allowing her eyes to scan the rest of the room. Pepper, who already held a glass of wine in one hand, was off to the side talking over final dinner preparations with Clint. It seemed she hadn't missed the arrival of _all_ of the Avengers as Steve was yet to be seen. Nor had she heard Thor and Jane. Of course neither of them had responded to their invitations.

"Princess, have you met my good friend Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes?" Tony questioned as he stepped away from the bar. He directed his daughter's attention to the man sitting on the couch. A man she had apparently glanced over. Rhodes got to his feet, extending a free hand to the girl. Lex noted his hand was cold, most likely because he'd been holding his beer with two hand prior to their introduction.

"It's nice to meet you Colonel Rhodes." She said, shaking the man's hand. Of course she recognized him once his name was given. Colonel Rhodes was better known to the public as War Machine or Iron Patriot, depending on the version of his suit. And it was no secret that he was a good friend of her fathers.

"The pleasure is mine Alexandria, really. And you might as well call me Rhodey. There's not need to be so formal." He smiled.

"Only if you call me Lex." She smiled back.

"I think I can manage that. So tell me, what's it like living with this guy?" He jabbed a thumb in Tony's direction. "Is he constantly leaving robot parts around the house like Pepper says?"

"I'm sure he would if she let him." Lex chuckled. "But for as long as I've been here, he's contained the mess mostly to his workshop."

"First of all, it's not a mess." Tony smirked. "It's organized chaos."

"That's what you call it?" His daughter smirked back. Rhodes didn't know which was funnier, the fact that Lex could match Tony's level of snarkiness or that her smirk seemed to be a mirror image of his. A knock on the door broke everyone from their individual activities and soon JARVIS announcing the arrival of more guests.

"Hello everyone!" Steve was the first of the new arrivals to enter. He stepped through the apartment's main door and gave a small wave. "I uh, hope you don't mind Alexandria, but I took the liberty of inviting a few friends."

"This place is amazing!" Kyle gasped as he stepped through the the door. His mouth was gaping in awe as he spotted so many heroes in one room.

"Energy bills must be through the roof though." Rachelle remarked as she too entered the apartment. "Elevators, electric ID scanners, a fully functional medical bay… None of that can be powered cheaply. Oh hello!" She suddenly realized that the room was full of people.

"Kyle! Rachelle! What are you guys doing here?" Lex was grinning from ear to ear. "You're supposed to be home with your families!"

"And pass up the chance to meet the rest of the Avengers?" Kyle snorted. "Not on your life."

"My parents don't really care if I'm home for holidays." Rachelle shrugged. "As long as I pass my classes and stay out of prison, they're happy."

"I can't tell you how glad I am to have you both here. Thank you Steve."

"Don't thank me. I just got your friends into the building." Steve explained modestly. "It was all Tony's doing."

"That's me. Father of the year." Tony smiled, opening a bottle of beer at the bar. "By the way Rachelle, doesn't cost that much to run the place. It's powered by an arch reactor." He tapped the blue circle on his chest. Lex couldn't believe Tony had gone through all the trouble of tracking down his friends and inviting them to Thanksgiving dinner. On top of that he'd arranged for Steve to bring them to the Tower. For a half second she debated throwing herself at her father. She decided against it since Iron-Dad was probably too cool for a touching moment in front of his friends.

"Thank you Tony." She said in the most sincere way possible.

"It's nothing kid." He waved her off, glad there was no dramatic familyish moment. That might have ruined the whole day. "Figured you would want to have someone your own age around."

"But I love being around you guys. Which reminds me, there are some introductions to be made. Hmmm let's see...You've both met Tony before of course, And Steve and Tasha were my bodyguards for awhile so you've met them. That leaves Tony's girlfriend and my boss at Stark Industries, Pepper Potts. Without her I wouldn't be here." Lex reminded everyone that it was because of an interview with Pepper that she finally found Tony. "Next to her is Clint slash Hawkeye. On the couch there you have Colonal Rhodes who you probably recognize by War Machine, and lastly you have Dr. Bruce Banner seated at the bar, but we're not going to talk about the other guy." She winked at Banner who smiled back gratefully. "Everyone, this is my roommate and best friend Rachelle and my boyfriend Kyle. Please excuse him, he is a huge Avengers fan."

"Hang on there! I think you forgot someone!" A voice called from the hall. A man stepped through the still open apartment door. He pulled off his red tinted sunglasses and introduced himself. "Sam Wilson, you must be Alexandria, you're like a tiny copy of Stark."

"It's um nice to meet your Sam. These are my friends, Kyle and Rachelle. Have you...met everyone else before?" Lex smiled.

"Man you too?" Sam huffed. "I thought at least being around the Avengers you'd know who I was. Here's a hint, big robotic wings?"

"Birdman!" Tony called from across the room as if he honestly thought this was Sam's hero name.

"He prefers Falcon." Steve explained.

"And I prefer Lex." She told Sam. "It's nice to meet you, Falcon. What'll you have to drink?"

"Let's leave the bartending to the twenty one plusers." Tony interrupted. "Under aged kiddos you'd beverages are limited to cola, sports drinks and sparkling grape juice."

One good thing about Tony and Pepper's apartment was that their couch was large enough to comfortably sit at least ten people. So twenty minutes after Falcon's arrival, the group was strung from one end to the other on it. Rhodey, Pepper, Tony and Clint sat together in the first section of couch. They were talking amongst themselves waiting for the parade to start on TV. Nat sat between Clint and Banner, who insisted on drinking only water. He worried that alcohol might not agree with him. Sam had happily wedged himself between Bruce and Steve. Lex and her two friends anchored themselves at the end of the couch just in time for the start of the parade.

* * *

 **A/N: So there you have it, pt1 of Lex's first holiday with the Avengers! I hope you guys enjoyed. :D I will be posting a part 2 soon! I haven't decided if I will write something up for Christmas yet, but there will definitely be a new years chapter! Thank you so much to nightmarehunter676, SummerMistedDragon, WeasleyLover123, & eathlover for your reviews of chapter 15!**


	17. Chapter 17

"Sorry about that guys." Lex apologized to Kyle and Rachelle as she tugged a pair of burlap sacks off their heads. "Secret farmhouse location and all of that." She shrugged.

"You seem to have become a master of skullduggery so quickly." Rachelle giggled. Clearly the whole excursion had been exciting to her thus far.

"I notice you didn't have a bag over your head though." Kyle mumbled begrudgingly.

"Perks of having an Iron-Dad." She shrugged again.

"Don't let it get to your head, Laura and I need a new babysitter now that Nat gets sent on more missions. How are you going to do that if you can't find the place?" Clint winked as he walked towards his front door. As the rest of the Avengers piled out of their various vehicles, The two young Barton children rushed their dad. Normally a sight like that would churn Lex's stomach. She was always jealous of kids who had two, for the most part, normal parents. For once she didn't feel bile rising up in her throat. Maybe it was just the satisfaction of knowing that she had brought everyone together for a day, but She felt included in their moment rather than excluded.

"What's everyone standing around for?" Sam asked, rubbing his hands together. "I'm starved!"

"You're practically withering away to nothing." Natasha commented sarcastically.

When Laura Barton stepped out onto her front pouch she couldn't help but blink. As many stories and pictures she had seen or heard about earth's mightiest heroes, nothing really did them justice. There they were, spread out across her lawn dressed in street clothes. She couldn't decided if the image was humbling or worrisome. She had to remind herself that most of the Avengers were just like her husband, incredibly skilled _people_. At the end of the day that's what they were people. As if it to exemplify this point, Tony Stark tossed an arm around the girl who had to have been his daughter. How could she not be with his trademark smirk?

"Thank you so much for having us Mrs. Barton." Lex said as she bounded up the front steps.

"It was my pleasure really. Clint talks about you so much that I knew I had to meet the spectacular Lex Stark." Laura smiled.

"I don't know about spectacular..." The young woman rebuffed the compliment. She was so grateful that the Barton's had agreed to host the holiday dinner, the last thing she wanted was to seem like she had a swollen head. Of course, Tony's head was swollen enough for the both of them.

"I agree. You're more than spectacular. You're a Stark. Hey Barton," He nodded at Clint. "Bet my kid can beat your kid in a race."

"This is why they should have named the rooster after you." Nat hissed. She shoved passed him, leading the way into the house. In groups of ones and twos everyone slowly filed inside. While the others made themselves at home, Lex followed Laura into the kitchen. She wanted to be as helpful as possible.

"I hope you and your friends don't mind." Mrs. Barton frowned. "But you'll have to join Cooper and Lila at the kids table." The fact that there were enough people in attendance to warrant a kids table made Lex's eyes water with joy.

"It's no problem." She assured.

When it was time for dinner to start Tony, Pepper, Rhodes, Dr. Banner, Steve and Sam joined the Bartons at the "adult" table. While Natasha voluntarily joined Lex, Kyle, Rachelle, Cooper and Lila at the "kids" table. Which in truth was a pair of card tables pushed together in the adjoining living room. The Black Widow was currently teaching Lila how to blow bubbles in her milk when her brother pulled at Lex's sleeve.

"What's it like to have Iron Man for a dad?" He wanted to know.

"It is pretty cool." She admitted. "But not that different than having your dad be Hawkeye I'm sure. I get to share Aunt Tasha with you, I get to hear all kinds of cool stories about their adventures, and I get to eat your Dad's cooking which is great."

"Dad makes the best grilled cheeses!" Lila added, coming up for air from her milk straw.

"Is that so?" Lex turned around in her chair, looking at the archer in question.

"Organic cheese. That's the secret!" Clint called from his seat.

"Do you make the cheese here?" Suddenly Rachelle was very interested in the conversation. This didn't surprise Kyle or Lex in the slightest. Like most artists Rach considered herself a mild activist for nature. The dinner conversation progressed naturally from there. By the end of the meal it seemed every topic from organic cheese to the impending oil crisis had been covered.

"I know it's a little late for a toast." Lex said getting to her feet. "But I just wanted to say thank you again to everyone. Tony & Pepper, thank you for welcoming me into your life so completely. Thank you Dr. B for agreeing to come along today even though I'm sure you have some science experiment you would much rather be working on. Nat and Steve thank you for teaching me so many kick butt street fighter moves. Of course a big thank you to Clint, whom without the Avengers would most likely starve, and Laura for opening your home to us today. To Sam and Rhody I just want to say being friends with Tony and Steve is no easy task and you deserve medals for your loyalty..."

"Kid this is starting to sound like a eulogy!" Tony snickered from his seat at the big table. She knew him well enough by now not to take offense from this. It was clear her father was uncomfortable with the wave of emotions she was sending out.

"What I'm trying to say," She sighed, "is that I was a very lonely kid." This was difficult for her to admit. Especially since just about everyone she cared about was in one room. Fueled by the spirit of America's most reflective holiday, Lex knew that if she didn't say something now, she would most likely never manage to get it out. "I went from being mostly on my own, to sharing a dorm room with Rachelle, who has a very vibrant personality. Then I met Kyle who is very passionate, and one day I found myself staring up at the base of the Stark Enterprises Building. And I haven't been alone since. Thus far this journey has been an amazing and overwhelming experience. Alright, I'm done embarrassing myself now. Back to your regularly scheduled Thanksgiving."

She had expected Laughter, at least a hearty chuckle, but this was not the reaction she received at all. Maybe it was the healthy dose of alcohol many of them had consumed during the morning parade, or maybe it was the fact that she had genuinely moved the team. Whatever the reason Lex found herself surrounded by enthusiastic applause. Like something out of a cheesy lifetime movie. For the second time that day, something that should have made her sick to her stomach, actually brought a smile to her face.

* * *

 **A/n: So there you have it Part 2 of the holidays! I know its a bit fluffy, (OK it's a lot of fluff) but there is a bit of a Dark turn coming in the next few chapters.**

 ** _Kari10_ SPOILER ALERT: T** **here will defiantly be a Steve/Lex pairing, that has always been my intention!**

 **_WeasleyLover123_ Yay congrats on passing your exams!**

 **Earthlover Not bad at all. I also wish Kyle wasn't there but I wanted Lex to have a starter boyfriend because plot and story reasons. You'll see why soon enough.**

 **Just an FYI to all of you beautiful readers, there seems to be an issue/error with the reviews on this story. I AM able to read them all, as I receive emailed copies of each individual review, BUT for some reason they're not showing up when I click the review link on the website. So please don't worry if your review doesn't show up. It's not you, it's the story. (Which I have emailed support about!)**

 **As always I want to thank Kari10, WeasleyLover123, Earthlover, CSIGetteBlue, SummerMistedDragon, EmeraldDraegon, & dragonfox123 for your endless support of this story! Please continue reading, favorting, following and reviewing! (even though the function is not 100%) I look forward to hearing your thoughts!**


	18. Chapter 18

Thanksgiving was the last time the Avengers would gather in such a large group for some while. As the light fall breezes of November gave way to the harsh winter winds of December, the team was spread thin across the globe. Even Dr. Banner and Steve, who tended to stay close to the Tower, were disappearing for days at a time. Not that Lex had much time to notice any of them missing. She and Rachelle had been hitting the books hard in preparation of their final exams. As if the end of her first college semester wasn't stressful enough, the Stark Ent. heiress logged more hours at her father's company than any other intern, graduate level or below. She had meant what she said when she told Tony and Pepper she planned to earn her keep.

When the semester finally drew to a close, Tony insisted that his daughter take some time off. He'd even gone as far as temporarily deactivating her company ID card. Of course he had misjudged Happy's uncle-like affection for the girl, and so the head of security still let her come and go as she pleased.

"Perfect." Tony had grumbled when he finally realized the minor breech. "Good to know my building is heavily guarded from anything. Anything that is except the puppy dog eyes of a nineteen year old."

"Being at home is so boring!" Lex whined later on that same night when Tony gave her a mild scolding. Steve, who was her go to hang-out buddy, hadn't been home in weeks. Which meant she'd gone a whole ten days without having to explain how to open an email or use the washing machine. Nat and Clint, who alternated for the number two spot of favorite avenger, were both off at some secret training camp. Thor it seemed barely left Asgard these days. Even Dr. Banner had locked himself in his lab without offering her so much as an explanation. Not that she was owed one, a fact Tony was keen to remind her. Tony himself was also preparing to leave for some undetermined amount of time any day.

Despite all of Lex's complaining her father was not willing to lessen her sentence. Eventually he was able to swindle Pepper to his side too because she started turning Lex away from the office three days after Tony left. But there was finally a glimmer of hope when Laura Barton called on December 19th. She had heard through someone, probably Natasha since she'd been receiving many of Lex's most recent complaints, that the young woman had grown tired of the empty penthouse. Laura explained that Cooper and Lila had really taken to Lex in the short time they had spent with her and it would be a huge help if she could spare some time to come down to the farm for a few days.

Since Tony had already said that he would not make it home in time for Christmas, Lex willingly packed her duffle bag and set off to spend the holiday with the Bartons. During her brief time on the farm she learned the best way to feed the chickens, convinced the family to rename their rooster Tony, milked the cows, Tried some of Clint's organic grilled cheese, taught Lila how to weave friendship bracelets, and let Cooper beat her in a race for the last piece of bacon every morning. It had been a nice vacation and by the time she was due to return home Lex understood why Tony had wanted her to take time off from work and school. There was more to life then textbooks and statistics.

Clint was kind enough to drive her back to the tower the night before her father was due back into town. Coincidentally this was the same night that Sam and Steve returned from wherever they had been last. The three met by chance in the parking garage with duffle bags slug across their chest.

"Hey you guys!" She greeted them with a yawn.

"Rough day?" Steve chuckled.

"Not as rough as yours I'm sure. Where were you this time?" She asked, her hand fumbling around for her tower ID badge.

"That's classified I'm afraid, Miss Stark." Steve apologized. He easily found his ID badge scanned it, and held the door open.

"Of course." She rolled her eyes. "Well I hope 'classified' doesn't need you back anytime soon. I've missed you. You too Sam." Sam had a sneaking suspicion that Lex was just trying to be polite but he thought it best not to say so out loud. For some reason Steve really liked mini-Stark.

"I should be home through the New Year, assuming everything goes well." Steve assured his friend.

"Good. I guess I should go upstairs now. You both look like you need rest." Lex started making her way towards the stairs when she remembered the Steve was sort of the unofficial leader of the Avengers. "Has Tony checked in? He told Pepper he'd be home tomorrow..."

"As far as I know that's still the plan." Steve smiled. "You should get some rest too Alexandria, if Stark's coming home he'll no doubt have something spectacular planned."

"You think?" Sam and Steve could see her face light up with joy even from several feet away. "Good night Steve! Good night Sam!" She called before bounding up the stairs two at a time.

"Oh man you got it bad don't you?" Sam snorted.

"Got what?" Steve walked in an awkward half circle, trying to spot the _it_ his friend spoke of.

"No man, I mean Lex, you like her don't you?"

"Well I don't not like her..." Steve tilted his head to the side like a confused dog. He didn't understand what Sam was getting at.

"I mean you _like_ like her..."

" _Like_ like? Are you in high school?"

"C'mon! You smile like an idiot every time she's around you."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Steve shook his head. But the truth was it was too late. The idea had been planted in his head some time ago. Somewhere between her first day at the tower and the first morning he'd escorted her to her college campus, Steve had fallen head over heels. He'd been doing his best to suppress these feelings since there was no possible way they could be reciprocated. After all he was what 79 years older than her? Sure they were ice years, and they didn't really count in his mind, but they might have mattered to Alexandria. And if not to her, surely Tony wouldn't approve. He couldn't bare the embarrassment of either Stark finding out, so he kept the secret to himself.

"You know you've been standing in an empty hallway 'not knowing what I'm talking about' for a full minute and a half right?" Sam smirked. He loved being right. Steve gave him a gentle shove into the nearest wall. "Hey, that better not turn into a bruise!" Steve didn't reply. He just walked away shaking his head.

* * *

 **A/N: Well there you have it, a teeny-tiny bit of the beginning of Steve & Lex. I'm hoping the next chapter will really getting things going and I'm thinking you guys will either really hate what I'm about to do, or you'll dig it. So that will be interesting. Just throwing this out there, I'm on vacation this week so you should be getting more chapters & more frequent updates for the next ten or so days. (Depending on how well I motivate myself) **

**Thank you earth lover for your review of Chapter 17! I was glad to read that you found my Tony in character! I find that in general that is the hardest part of FF, keeping existing characters true to the source material!**

 **As always thank you to everyone for your continued support of this story, more updates to follow ASAP! :D**


	19. Chapter 19

"Well, how does it look?" Lex turned 360 degrees showing off the new silver party dress she had purchased especially for New Years Eve. Steve, who currently sat in the corner of the "L" shaped couch, quickly drank from the glass in his hand to prevent himself from saying something stupid. He'd learned to keep his mouth shut when it came to modern fashion, especially when a woman was concerned. The shimmering fabric of the dress clung to Lex's chest, shoulders and hips. Even Tony was forced to stifle a grimace. It was New Years Eve in New York City, he knew just the kind of disgusting thoughts young men would have when they laid eyes on his daughter that night. He knew because he used to be an expert at those kinds of thoughts. "Used to" being the operative phrase here.

"Maybe you should wear something a little more...Amish." He suggested. "You know floor length dress, very long sleeves, a bonnet. Definitely a bonnet."

"I'm not wearing a bonnet." Lex snorted. "Pepper come on, back me up! Be the cool one!" She wove her hands together and held them in front of her chest, a classic begging pose.

"Kyle is going to be with you right?" Pepper asked from her seat between Tony and Steve.

"Yes." Lex assured her impatiently. If she didn't leave soon she was going to be late to her party.

"And me!" Rachelle, who'd been styling her hair in her friend's bedroom, had just joined the others in the living room. She was wearing the exact same dress as Lex but gold. "Plus Alex has all of those cool moves she learned from Steve! Ha!" She swung her fist and struck a pose like she'd seen the characters do in video games.

"Which I promise not to use unless it is an absolute emergency." Lex added quickly, since this was the promise she had made to Tony in the first place. More importantly she wanted to avoid a lecture from Steve about how great responsibility came from great power or something. "I'll even wear a trench coat if it means I can leave now!"

"Excellent. Borrow Pep's knee length rain slicker and have fun tonight." Her father smirked. There was no way she'd leave the house wearing a bright red raincoat. But his daughter was unfazed by this request.

"I'll see you next year Tony." She winked before leaning over and kissing him on the cheek. " See you next year Pepper, Steve!" She gave each of them a hug before dragging Rachelle out the door, bright red rain slicker in hand.

"Aren't you going to be cold?"Rachelle looked down at Lex's stylish strappy heels as they rode the tower elevator to the ground floor.

"A little." She answered, pulling on Pepper's coat. "But once we get to the party there will be wall to wall people. You'll be sweating in your UGG boots." She pointed to her friend's sheepskin shoes.

"I'd rather be sweating than turned into a popsicle." Rachelle decided. While she zipped up her puffy winter coat, the two girls stepped outside into the cold almost-January air.

"People can't turn in to popsicles." Lex laughed. They reached the subway terminal and began descending down the stairs.

"I think your friend Steve would disagree with you." Rachelle countered, paying for her subway ride.

"Okay, you've got me there." her best friend sighed, stepping onto one of the newly arrived subway cars.

* * *

"My buddy says this place is going to be off the hook!" Kyle greeted his girlfriend and her roommate outside an off campus apartment building.

"Since when do you use the phrase 'off the hook'?" Lex snorted.

"Since you ditched me to hang out with the super-friends." Kyle grumbled.

"Well, I'm all yours tonight!" She smiled, looping her arm around his.

"You'd better believe it." He grinned.

* * *

"We did the right thing, right?" Tony questioned Pepper once the two girls left the apartment.

"I think so." Pepper nodded. "They're going out together, Kyle will be with them, and like they said Lex has a few skills of her own." She counted out each of these points on the tip of her fingers. "And She was trained by the best."

"It's one night," Steve piped up from his spot on the sofa. "How much trouble could they really get in?"

"I suppose you're right." Tony sighed. "I'm sure she's going to be fine." He reached for the TV remove and changed the channel to the coverage of the New Years Eve Ball drop. Despite their assurances, there was this feeling in the back of his mind that he was unfamiliar with. Could it be fatherly concern? Whatever it was, it didn't feel good. Maybe it was that dress. That's it, her dress was to blame.

"But maybe next year, we pick out the dress, okay?" He added aloud. Pepper gave an 'mmm-hmm' in agreement, even though she was sure Tony wouldn't actually force Lex to wear anything different next year.

* * *

 **A/n: WeasleyLover123 Cap. Civil War broke my heart. I saw it opening night and I'm still not over it! It's part of the reason why I've been working on this story again, So i feel you really I do! (And I am so glad to hear that you still love this story!**

 **EmeraldDraegon, Yes that is exactly what I was going for! I've been gunning for Lex & Steve the entire time but I wanted to build a sort of friendship between them first. Spoiler alert (?) Kyle will be out of the picture by the next chapter. Which hopefully I'll be able to post in a few minutes! Finger's crossed it's noted hated! :)**

 **As always thank you to the amazing folks who have taken the time to review this story SummerMistedDragon, WeasleyLover123, EmeraldDraegon, & MyFandoms7! Chapter 20 should be posted shortly after this one! **


	20. Chapter 20

"Captain Rogers, you have an incoming call from Alexandria Stark." Steve was awoken suddenly by JARVIS' robotic tones. He rolled over and looked at the clock on his nightstand. It was three A.M. which meant he'd only been asleep for two hours.

"Yeah, alright." He mumbled trying to make the voice go away. He was too groggy to remember the AI was always present. He pulled himself into a sitting position and reached for his phone. "Alexandria..." but it wasn't Lex, it was her roommate Rachelle calling on her phone. "What's wrong?" He sprang out of bed and started dressing with his cell phone tucked in the crook of his neck. "Yes, I know exactly where that is. No, no I'm glad you called me. Just stay where you are and keep her next to you. I'll be there in twenty minutes. Okay, tell her I promise not to tell Tony or Pepper. I'll be there as soon as I can."

Racing down the stairs two at a time, Steve arrived in the parking garage in record time. He knew the girls wouldn't both fit on the back of his motorcycle so he borrowed one of Tony's cars. The billionaire would understand, he was sure of it. Racing through the streets he easily found Rachelle and Alexandria standing outside of the address they'd given. Immediately his eyes zeroed in on Lex, what had happened that made her too scared to call Tony?

She was standing outside shivering in the cool night air, Pepper's jacket seemingly missing. The smile she had worn on her way out of the tower earlier that night had disappeared with it. She tugged nervously at her thigh high cocktail dress as she searched the roads for a car that looked familiar. Rachelle was standing next to her, both arms protectively shielding her friend. She too was shaking despite her much warmer choice in clothing. Steve got out of the car, took off his jacket and wrapped Alexandria in it. Rachelle helped get her in the backseat and buckle her seatbelt safely.

"Thank you." Lex whispered as their rescuer climbed into the driver's seat. It was dark outside. Even with the lights of the city he could not clearly see either girl's face in his rearview mirror. But he did notice that Rachelle still hadn't released her protective grip on her friend, and Alexandria had kept her face down.

"What happened?" He asked quietly. "I thought Kyle was going to be with you?" At first he'd thought the girls were sniffling but at the mention of her boyfriend, Alexandria dissolved into a full out sob.

"I don't really know." Rachelle explained, trying to be helpful. "Ky... _He_ met us outside of the apartment building and took us up to the party. Everything was going fine, we each had a couple of...adult beverages and then everyone counted down the ball drop. The party started to pick up after midnight. A guy I recognized from my still life class was there so I-I started talking to him. By the t-t-time I noticed Alex and _him_ had gone off somewhere together she came running out of a room crying. So I took her outside and she wouldn't let me call Tony or Pepper or even Natasha. When I finally told her we had to call someone..."

"She said to call me." Steve filled in the blank for himself. "Well whatever happened you are both safe now. I've got you, all right? And I'm going to get you back to the tower as fast as I can." There was a brief pause and he held the steering wheel with one hand. A second later he held out a silk handkerchief. "Use this if you need it." Lex reached out and took it with a shaking hand.

Twenty minutes later Steve had parked the car in the same spot he had found it. He swiped his ID badge and watched Rachelle half carry her friend inside. Now that they were in the uncrowded tower hallway, Steve and Rachelle both got their first clear look at Lex. Her left eye had a purplish bruise forming just below it. Her bottom lip was split open and she was holding his silk handkerchief against her mouth to combat the stream of blood leaking out of it.

"Alex!" Rachelle gasped. She'd never seen someone hurt so badly before.

"I-I was drunk and I fell." Lex lied. "Hit my face on the coffee table. It looks worse than it is." She winced.

"Lex that looks pretty bad. Steve noticed she was also holding her side now and there was a slight wheeze to her breathing. "I'm sorry, but I insist that you let me take you to medical."

"Medical?" She tried to scoffed, but forcing air out of her lungs was too painful. "There's no need! I'm fine! I'm just..."

She collapsed before she managed another word. Everything happened quickly after that. Rachelle's face drained of all color and she looked like she might scream. Of course she didn't she was too scared to do anything. A serious case of shock, Steve suspected. He needed to get both girls out of the middle of the random hallway and to the medical floor immediately. He scooped up Alexandria from the floor, careful to support her neck and head. The best he could do at the moment was hope her collapse hadn't caused further injuries. Luckily Rachelle followed silently behind him to the medical floor without much prompting.

* * *

 **A/N: And so with Chapter 20 we finally start getting into a heavy plot! I wrote this chapter around the same time that I posted Chapter 5, so it's something I have been working on for awhile and something I have been slowly working on integrating in. As such I'm dying to know what you think!**


	21. Chapter 21

There was a rhythmic beeping coming from multiple machines. Lex tried to lift her arm to touch her sore face but it was unusually heavy. She opened her eyes and took in her surroundings. She was laying in the bed of a private room in the medical ward. Someone had dressed her in a hospital gown and hooked her up to all sorts of medical equipment. Wires and tubes were running through her arm, which explained why it felt so heavy.

"Thank god you're awake!" Steve breathed in relief from her right side.

"Thank you." She managed to croak out.

"Your mouth is probably dry from all the medication you've been given. They said that might happen." He poured a cold cup of water and handed it to her. She drank it slowly before speaking again.

"What happened?" _Why did it hurt to talk?_

"You mean you don't remember?" Steve's eyebrows knit together.

"I remember." She recoiled. "But only up until we got in the car."

"Well, I took you and Rachelle back to the Tower. You told me you hit your face on a coffee table and then you passed out. So I picked you up and carried you here. Rachelle was treated for shock after she say you pass out. She is fine now, she is sleeping upstairs at my place. Most of your left side is covered in a bruise and you have a fractured cheekbone. I highly doubt those injuries came from falling on a table. And I know you made me promise not to tell Tony and Pepper, but these injuries are serious, Lex."

She could tell Steve was worried. He never shortened her name, always calling her Miss Stark or Alexandria. Things had to be bad if he was worried. She closed her eyes. Tony was going to be mad. Probably pissed. He expected more out of her. No daughter of his should be so weak as to let her boyfriend get drunk as use her as a punching bag. But she _was_ in a lot of pain and she really wanted him there with her. Even if he was So mad he never talked to her again.

"Call them." She whispered to Steve. Then she closed her eyes again and drifted back to sleep.

"No, the _right_ thing to do would have been to wake me when she first called you!" The sound of Tony's voice woke her from her sleep. Through the blinds on her door she could see her father's silhouette arguing with someone in the hallway. She guessed it was Steve since he was no longer in the room.

"I had no _idea_ how bad off she was!" Steve defended. "She called me in the middle of the night and she was scared. My priority was to get her here safely. Who knows what could have happened if I'd left her there any longer."

"What exactly happened?" A third silhouette appeared and Lex recognized Pepper's ever level-headed tone.

"I'm not entirely sure. She told me she fell on a coffee table but..."

"But twenty year olds don't end up hospitalized from coffee tables. Where is Rachelle? And that boy, Kyle. Something happens to her and he just disappears!" Tony's voice complained.

"Rachelle is upstairs at my place. She was sleeping the last time I went up to check on her." Steve's voice explained. It was void of all emotions.

"Why don't you make yourself useful and see if you can track down a doctor with her charts?" Tony's voice snapped. Lex watched Steve's shadow disappear. It seemed Tony was waiting for him to leave because there was a long pause before he spoke again.

"I can't do it, Pep." He confessed. "I can't go in to that room and see my little girl covered in bruises, with a broken face, so drunk that she was too scared to call me in the middle of the night for help. I can't. I can't do it. And it's breaking my heart because she need me right now. I created a suit of armor out of nothing in a cave in the middle of nowhere but I can't muster up the strength to walk through that door."

"You couldn't have possibly know this was going to happen." Pepper tried to sooth him, but it was too late. The guilt had been eating at Tony since Rogers came and knocked on his door. "You did everything you could have given the circumstances."

"I'll tell you one thing, I'm never letting her out of my sight again." He promised.

"How about I go in first." Pepper suggested. "You can just stay by the door, wait for Steve to come back with the doctor." Without waiting for a reply, she swung the door open wide. "Lex, how are you feeling?" Pepper crossed the room and held Lex's left hand, the one attached to all the wires and tubes.

"Ugh." Lex groaned. "I'm never leaving the house again. I'm going to live in the tower with you and Dad forever."

"Dad?" That got Tony's attention. He stepped into the room and walked right up to her bedside. "You've never called me Dad before."

"I guess not." She guessed she had never needed him to be her dad before that night. She smiled and then winced. Apparently it hurt to smile.

"Your cheekbone is fractured." He reminded. "Any idea how that happened? And don't bother saying coffee table. Rogers already tried to feed me that line."

"I'd rather not say." She managed out. In truth she was too ashamed to tell Tony the real reason she looked like crap.

"Is it because you were drunk?" Her dad smirked. "Because I'm the last person who's about to give an underage drinking lecture."

"No. It's not that." Lex huffed. She really just wanted to forget the whole night had ever happened. "This is silly." She faked a laugh before starting to climb out of bed. "All this fuss, over a couple of bruises. Steve overreacted. I just need to sleep off this buzz and I'll be fine." Thankfully the Doctor wasn't around to point out that she wasn't not buzzed. In truth he blood alcohol content was equal to the only beer she had consumed at the party.

"First off this is much more serious than a couple of bruises." Tony argued. He gently forced his daughter back into bed. "Sleeping it off isn't going to repair your broken cheek bone. And Sweetheart, the doctors and I can't make it better if we don't know exactly what happened."

"Alexandria!" Pepper gasped having a sudden horrifying thought. Tony and Lex both looked over at her and the CEO prayed to every god she could think of that she was wrong."Forgive me, I hate to ask, but where's Kyle? Why didn't he bring you home? Did he…"

"He wouldn't dare!" A very dark look appeared on Tony's face.

"What's going on?" Steve, who finally returned to the room with the Doctor, saw the cross look on his friend's face. When Tony didn't answer he looked over to Pepper who had gone pale in his absence. Lex wanted nothing more than to disappear from the room. She pulled her warm blankets up to her chin.

"Glad to see you're awake." The doctor smiled at his patient, oblivious to the tension in the room. "I have to say you had us worried when Captain Rogers brought you in here. Pretty banged up, even for a Stark. Though your blood alcohol levels weren't very high." The doctor frowned looking through the tox screen report. _Thanks for that._ Lex silently cursed the medical professional in her head. "I certainly expected higher levels than this. Especially if you were impaired enough to..what was it, fall on a coffee table?" The doctor handed her medical charts over to Tony who was reaching for them greedily. "I'll be perfectly honest with you all, these injuries are more consistent with combat. The fractured cheek, the bruised ribs…"

"So you're saying she was in a fight?" Steve couldn't believe was the doctor was saying. Lex Stark wasn't one to go around the city starting bar brawls. Then he remembered something she had said about Kyle back when he and Natasha were her bodyguards. Kyle and his roommate were fighting over a video game controller. Lex just rolled her eyes.

 _"Sometimes I swear, he'll start a fight about anything. He'd territorial. Like a lion."_ The memory made the super soldier feel weak in the knees. He wished he had seen the signs back then. He might have prevented this.

"I believe what the man is saying," Tony looked up from the files in his hands. "is someone has forgotten the rules." The closed the folder with a sharp whip. "Nobody gets to break something of mine without losing something of theirs."

* * *

 **A/N: Last chapter of the night because I want to give you guys some time to read all of these! (Looking forward to your reviews though.) I'll be back with more Chaps. Soon!**


	22. Chapter 22

"I believe what the man is saying," Tony looked up from the files in his hands. "is someone has forgotten the rules." He closed the folder with a sharp whip. "Nobody gets to break something of mine without losing something of theirs."

"Let's not do anything irrational." Pepper warned. "We're not even sure that's what happened." Everyone had meant to be subtle, but Lex felt like a camera on one of those hospital dramas because suddenly they were all staring at her. Still not wanting to go into the details of the event, the best she could do was nod. That was enough confirmation for Tony.

"He's dead." Tony forced the medical records into Pepper's hand and strode towards the door.

"Tony!"

"Stark!" Pepper and Steve both called out to him. He ignored them.

"Dad?" Lex gave it a shot. That did the trick. He stopped with his hand midway towards the doorknob. Was his heart going to stop dead every time she called him that? If so, he really ought to up his life insurance policy. He told himself it might not hurt so bad if she didn't sound so weak and scared.

"Fine. If I can't find this kid and fly him so far into space that he chokes to death, someone better give me something to do. Because honestly I'm out of ideas." Tony folded his arms over his chest. The dark glare in his eyes had disappeared but in its place was something wild and uncontrollable. Thankfully they had Pepper.

"For now, how about we focus on taking care of Lex?" She suggested. "How much recovery time are we looking at, doctor?"

"I'm afraid Miss Stark's cheekbone is going to take at least six weeks to heal. Her bruised ribs, maybe four weeks? Assuming she gets plenty of rest." The doctor explained. "You will be on bedrest for at least the first week. And if possible you shouldn't be left alone."

"That won't be a problem." Tony promised. He wrapped a hand over his daughter's. Just then Steve's cellphone started to ring interrupting the tender moment.

"It's Rachelle." He explained recognizing the number. "She must be awake. Is it all right to bring her down? I'm sure she's going to want to see Lex." The doctor and his patient said it shouldn't be a problem so the super soldier left to escort her. Pepper stepped out with the doctor so they could set up Lex's move back to the pent house. This left Tony alone with his daughter.

"I hate hospitals." She announced, trying to break the tension.

"Me too." He agreed.

"Are you mad at me?" She looked up at her father, his hand still sitting over her own.

"Mad at you? Princesses what would I be mad at you for?"

"Well I know how to fight." Lex looked down, studying the loose knit of her topmost blanket. "I could have fought him off. _Should have_. But I was worried that if I did any of the things Steve and Nat taught me I-I would hurt him. He might have ended up with worse than a broken cheekbone. So I just got away from him as quickly as I could. And I told Rachelle to call Steve because I thought he wouldn't ask a lot of questions. He believed the first lie I told him."

"I probably should be mad at you for lying to Cap. He's from a different time, I don't think his people understand deceit and misdirection. Like the thermians from Galaxy Quest."

"The what from what?"

"Not important. What is important, is that I am not mad at you. I can't believe you went through what you did without pummeling that looser to death. That took some amazing self control. Self control that I did not have at your age. Trust me there are newsreels full of your dad doing some pretty boneheaded stunts." Wow he managed to make his own heart stop this time!

"Alex!" Rachelle bursts through the door with a smile on her face. "I'm so glad that you're going to be okay!" Steve had warned her ahead of time about her friend's injuries so she was very gentle with her hug. "I was so worried about you! I haven't really slept much. I just kind of laid on Steve's couch with my eyes closed." She dropped her voice down to a whisper so that Tony wouldn't hear. "Is it true what he said. Did...was it Kyle who did this to you?" Lex gripped Tony's hand nervously before answering.

"Yeah. It's true. Listen Rachelle, I'm glad you're still here. I don't think it's a good idea for you to go back to our dorm alone. Kyle might be looking for me."

"I agree." Tony nodded. "You can stay in the pent house with us for as long as you need. Besides Lex is going to need lots of people to keep her company."

* * *

 **A/n: I know this chapter is a bit of a filler but it does move the story along. Plus there was a small bit of Tony and Lex interacting, which I am always a sucker for. Next Chapter I'm hoping to show some (if not all) of the Avengers visiting Lex!**

 **Thank you to nightmarehunter676, Girlwithnosoul, gotmoreissuesthanvogue, Earthlover, & Sabina Mohammad for your reviews of the previous chapters! Please know that even though I do not always respond to every review, I do read them all! It makes me incredibly happy to know that my work is enjoyed. And I am very happy to see you all enjoyed my twistiest of plot twists! New chapters coming soon, but in the meantime please continue reading, following, favorting and reviewing!**


	23. Chapter 23

Lex woke up at ten a.m. January first from a nap to find herself in the comfort of her own bed. She was still connected to the same beeping monitors and intravenous medicines that she had been in the medical bay downstairs, but that seemed a minor detail at the moment. Propped up on the stack of pillows next to her was Tony the bear. Immediately she reached for him and tucked his head under her chin. His familiar form was comforting after everything that had happened. Out of the corner of her eye she saw something moving. It was Dr. Banner sitting at her desk.

"I'm sorry, did I wake you?" He asking, swiveling the rolling desk chair in her direction. "I turned on the news. I hope you don't mind."

"It's fine." She insisted, pulling herself into a sitting position. "I'm sure I'll fall back asleep soon. Haven't been staying awake long at all."

"I see. Tony took your friend back to your dorm to get her things. For obvious reasons she was afraid to go alone."

"I don't blame her."

"Pepper went to bed. She would have liked to stay with you but she has a big meeting tomorrow at the office. They sent Steve away and forced him to rest too."

"So you're stuck with me." Lex nodded. "I'm sorry." Bruce was about to tell her she shouldn't be. He found her presence calming when the TV newscaster began her coverage of the previous night's celebration.

"It's widely known that New York City is home to its fair share of celebrity residents." The female self-proclaimed "Gossipist" Began her segment. "Steve Buscemi joined the Men and Women of Fire and Rescue last night to aid our proud city in crowd control efforts at time square!" The show cut to footage of the actor in a volunteer fireman's uniform directing foot traffic next to a NYC Police Officer. Bruce reached for the remote to change the channel when Lex stopped him.

"Please don't change it! I know it's trashy but I kind of like watching these post-New Years celebrity stories." So Bruce left the channel on. The Gossipist had returned and was talking up her next story. An Image of acting duo Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart appeared on the screen next. Apparently the long time friends were seen having the time of their life at the Bubba Gump Shrimp restaurant hours before the year ended.

"Though perhaps McKellen and Stewart weren't the only ones having a blast last night. Alexandria Stark, the recently discovered daughter of Tony Stark, was seen stepping out of a subway station wearing this hot number." Suddenly the screen was filled with a photo of Lex and Rachelle doing just as she had described. Thankfully Rachelle's face was blurred so she was saved the embarrassment. Only those who'd seen her before and during the party would recognize her UGG boots and puffy winter jacket. If only that was the worst thing they'd shown.

"She and her cute friend then met up with this handsome fella!" The photo of the two girls transitioned into a video. A grainy image of the pair walked across the street. The arms of Pepper's bright red rain slicker was easy enough to make out as the digital Lex gleefully flung her arms around Kyle's neck. The real Lex felt her chest tighten. She never imagined having her own life on TV would make her feel so uncomfortable. Those people with their cameras had no right following her around. They certainly had no right making a mockery of one of the worst nights of her life. She saw Banner reaching for the remote again.

"No! Leave it." She insisted. Despite his better judgment he did.

"As if that were the most scandalous thing we had to say about little Miss Stark!" The woman on the television scoffed. "Almost as soon as our beloved city rung in the New Year, she was speeding away from her party with a handsome new beau!" The final video clip showed Steve helping Lex and Rachelle into the back of Tony's car. This time the recorder must have been farther away because it was difficult to make out anyone's facial features.

"Well New York if you weren't convinced that she was the heir to the Stark fortune, I'd say this alone proves it. They may say like father like son, but this is more like a case of monkey see, monkey do! Mr. Stark if you're watching, I'd say get a suit of armor and maybe a leash for that new daughter of yours! And Miss Stark if you're out there, where can I find that gorgeous dress?" This seemed to be the last straw for Dr. Banner. He turned off the TV with a definitive click.

"I'm sorry you had to see that." He mumbled. "That's one of the dangers of living in the limelight." He got up from his chair and walked towards her. "People think that because they see you on the streets, hear stories about you on TV, that they know you. They forget that under this big green monster the media builds you up to be, well underneath it all, you're just human." As Bruce leaned against the bedpost, Lex realized he must have had his fair share of bad press. The Incredible Hulk wasn't exactly loved by the media.

"But how do you keep from ripping off other people's heads? Because I've never had a gamma radiation accident but I'm mad as hell right now and my skin might be turning a nice olive."

"You do look a little flushed. Though forgive me if I'm not ready to alert the helpless villagers just yet." He smirked.

"How much time is going to pass before I'm comfortable making jokes about this?" She sighed.

"Well if you're anything like me, years. But if you're as much like Tony as you seem to be, give a few minutes." They both laughed. "The truth is this Lex, after what happened to you last night, it is going to take a long time to heal. More than the few weeks your cheekbone is going to need to fuse together again. An event like this, or the big green guy, it will change you. The question is, what kind of person do you want to become?"

"Just promise me that it gets better than this, because yesterday I left for that party feeling great. When I collapsed in Steve's arms yesterday, I was sure that would be the low point. And now...If there's a down from here, Dr. B that's somewhere I do not want to go."

"I heard a story once while I was traveling for work. This was long before my _accident_ of course. There are two wolves who are always fighting. One is darkness and despair. The other is light and hope. The question is, which wolf wins?"

"The one you feed." She answered. She was glad to spend some time with Dr. Banner. She understood that he was a caring person now that she had taken more time to get to know him. He didn't ask too many questions and he didn't want to talk details about what happened with Kyle. He had listened a given advice. Like Gandalf, Dumbledore or a similar type. And like the wise wizards from story books, she felt safe under his watchful gaze.

"What do you say we put on a movie? Tony has to have something good uploaded on here." Bruce suggested. He returned to the desk and retrieved the remove. Soon he and Lex were flicking through Tony's digital move collection.

* * *

 **A/N: _UGH so I've been having an issue with this stories reviews not syncing properly, but I thought it was fixed. :( It's not. Because of this I actually didn't reply to everyone's reviews the first time I posted this chapter, an error which I will now fix! In the future I will have to remember to keep track of reviews via my email, rather than rely on the website to track them. Sorry about that guys!_**

 _Basically this chapter exists because I wanted to throw some love Bruce Banner's way. Plus I thought it would be interesting to see him comparing Lex's struggles to what he goes through everyday. It helped her understand him a little bit better, and he got to help someone else, which always makes him feel better about his own big green problem._

 _Earthlover I don't think that every Avenger will get their own chapter but I certainly want to capture their reactions / initial interactions with Lex before moving too far forward with Kyle himself. Plus I like to think that he would be smart enough not to show his face around the tower for a few days at least._

 _RoxanneRay, It makes me so happy to hear that this is one of the best FF's you read. Compliments like that go right to my big head!_

 _Gotmoreissuesthanvogue Personally I find Tony one of the easiest characters to write, but that's probably because he is the most like me! I too do not usually like Daddy Tony stories because he often gets written out of character. I am really happy to hear that you enjoy this story, and I will be updating ASAP! :D_

 _As always thank you to Sabina Mohammad, Roxanne Ray,SummerMistedDragon, gotmoreissuesthanvogue & Earthlover for your reviews of Chapter 22! More updates will follow soon, so please continue reading, favoriting, following and reviewing! _


	24. Chapter 24

Lex convinced Bruce to put on _The Princess Bride_ since it was a favorite movie of hers. She warned him that she might recite the occasional line or two. A warning the scientist had not thought necessary until the movie actually began. She recited in verbatim the most quotable lines from the first five minutes of the film before shyly apologizing.

"No, no, it's alright." He said, shaking his head. "You did warn me."

"Knock, knock!" Clint poked him head into the bedroom. "Banner, Steve just told me we're going ahead with the big meeting, so if you have anything you need to get ready."

"Big meeting?" Lex repeated.

"We have one every year." The archer explained, stepping inside. "It's just to check progress on our open cases, decide which ones to keep or focus on more."

"There was talk of postponing it this year, at least for a few days, but I guess Steve thinks it's important enough to do today. Which means I have some things to take care of before then." Banner frowned.

"Don't let me hold you guys up. Not like I'm going anywhere anytime soon. I'll be fine here with Cary Elwes and Tony the Bear." She gestured towards the TV before jabbing a thumb in the direction of the tuxedoed companion who lay permanently smiling beside her.

"Sorry, no can do kid." Clint shook his head. "Doctor's orders, you're not supposed to be alone. And there's no chance I'm throwing away the opportunity to miss one of Steve's boring meetings."

"Wow they must be pretty bad if you'd rather be stuck in here with me. I promise you Clint, _Lexi Watch_ really isn't all that exciting. Just ask Dr. B."

"She's underselling it." Banner argued before excusing himself from the room.

"So…" Clint dragged the word out, trying to think of the right way to phrase what he was thinking.

"Did you bring food? I'm starving! You know, I haven't eaten since last year." She tried to laughed but her cheek was sore. Probably from all the movie quoting. Yeah, that broken bone had nothing to do with it. She lied to herself.

"I'll see what I can scrape up for you in the kitchen. Try not to move. Tony will kill me if anything else happens to you on my watch." A few minutes later Lex was served a small bowl of alfredo pasta on a TV tray. She ate it slowly not sure how her body would react to food mixed with whatever medications she was hooked up to. Speaking of which, eating with one arm was a real pain. Clint was watching her. He was leaning against the window sill to her left, pretending to look outside. She caught him stealing glances in between bites of food. After the third or fourth time it happened, she put her fork down with a soft tang.

"It's okay. You can ask me about it."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been staring." He apologized before looking back out the window. It was midday, so nearly every street was gridlocked with traffic. It was going to be hell for the out of towers to try and get back in time for Steve's meeting. He wondered absently where Thor was planning to land his rainbow bridge. He looked at Lex through the corners of his eyes. She was looking at him expectantly. He sighed. "You know," He began, turning to face her.

"We've all seen battles. We've all had losses. And sure sometimes you go up against someone who really believe in what they are doing. That's where organized groups like HYDRA come from. I get that. What I've never understood is people who just snap one day. That kid was in my home two month ago. And he seemed perfectly fine. Was respectful to me and Laura, ate dinner right between you and Nat with no trouble at all! And there's no way Tony would have let him anywhere near you if he had suspected...it just doesn't make sense."

"People don't just snap. Something had to cause him to do this. We learned about it in high school, it was around the same time my mother got sick so I was maybe fourteen? The gym teacher, of all people, went around to all of the home rooms and talked to us. She explained that almost anything can trigger violent behavior. Unseen problems at home, mental illnesses, being abused themselves, and of course drugs and alcohol. Which if I had to guess it probably what caused this."

She slowly waved a hand from her broken face to her midsection. Clint did his best to stifle a shiver. He could only imagine how banged up she must have looked when Steve found her because even with the blood cleaned up and her cheek patched, the poor kid looked like hell. Still she was talking. He was pretty sure she'd had a few laughs with Banner too. Tony's kid was tough as nails he'd give her that.

"When I started college in September, they talked to us about it too. It was a required segment during orientation. I remember sitting next to Rachelle thinking their statistics seemed ridiculously high. They said that twenty-four people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence or standing in the United States. Twenty four people a minute. The school warned us to always be aware of our surrounding. Never go anywhere alone. Know the people you are at the party with. Have a safe ride home. We did everything right."

Now her eyes were filling up with water. Clint walked over and removed the TV tray, at least that would give her some breathing room. He didn't say anything yet. As far as he knew this was the first time Lex had talked to anyone about what she had experience, the last thing he wanted to do was say the wrong thing, causing her to shut down.

"We were very careful the whole way across town. We avoided the vagrants in the subway stations, sat next to a nice old lady on the train, We knew almost everyone at that party! We trusted _him_ to keep us safe from anyone else. And as a backup I had my training from Steve and Aunt Nat _. I did everything I was supposed to_. None of it made any difference. We met him outside the apartment building where the party was and he led the way upstairs. Everything was fine at first. We made the usual rounds, said hi to everyone we knew. Had a few beers..." She admitted shyly. Clint just nodded to let her know he wasn't going to lecture her for it.

"Then we started playing party games. Someone had set up one of those plastic tables with solo cups. Rachelle was with us up until then. Around midnight more people had started showing up and some guy she recognized from one of her classes was there. I nudged her in is direction, insisting they would be cute together. She went to talk with him after very little persuasion." Her voice sounded very far off as a mental video from the night before played before her eyes.

"I wasn't very good at the games we were playing. We started to lose and he's very competitive." She shook the more violent memories away. Not that they would ever really go away, just take a break for awhile. She looked away from Clint for what she had to say next. She pulled Tony Bear to her chest for comfort. "You watch movies or hear stories about this exact thing happening to people, and you think _How did they not see it coming? Why didn't they fight back?_ But when it happens to you, you're just so taken back. It can't possibly be happening to you, because you did everything right. I could have fought back. I could have at least protected myself. Instead I just stood there. I stood there and let myself become one of twenty four." A weak sniffle came from her nose and then the waterworks started. She had started to say something else but it was muffled as her breathing became ragged.

Clint leapt into action. There wasn't much he could do, but hold her while she cried. There weren't any words of comfort that would make her feel better. The best he managed was to let her know that she wasn't alone and she was never going to be alone. There was a whole team willing to use any and all resourced to make sure she was never this miserable again. In the three or four months that she'd been living in the tower Alexandria Stark had wedged her way into the heart of every single Avenger and most of their close friends. There was no way they were going to take an assault on their favorite girl.

"Can you keep a secret?" He whispered, hoping a trick that always worked with his kids would help out here. Of course his kids were still, well kids. He'd never tried this method with someone who had a real problem. Still, hearing other peoples secrets always seemed to make a crying person feel better. Like they weren't the only one exposing a weakness.

"There's a reason Steve insisted on having that meeting today. Tony wanted to post-pone it for a few days, Banner too. But everyone's been talking. The idea was brought up to Fury that you should get a mask."

"A mask?" Lex sniffled. She didn't understand what he was implying. Clint bit his lip to keep from smiling. She was still crying, but she wasn't shaking so badly. She wasn't reliving her horrible memories again.

"Sure. Mask, cape, whatever you want."

"They want to make _me_ an Avenger?" She snorted, flicking away tears.

* * *

 **A/N: Ok it took me FOREVER to write this chapter because I knew I wanted Lex and Clint to talk, I just didn't know about what. So I chipped away at it line by line the last three days until I came up with this brilliant reveal! (Since it took me so long to write, I didn't go back and proof read. Sorry guys there's probably typos.) So dun dun dun until next time!**

 **There will absolutely be more dad/daughter in store with Tony and Lex, especially if the team votes to make her an Avenger! And as far as Capsicle and Lex? Oh man I can't wait to start writing it! Speaking of which, I'm going to start calling them Lexsicle from now on. Sorry not sorry.**

 **EmeraldDraegon, yes you can say it. Kyle is a terrible person. Unfortunately I wrote him that way.**

 **WeasleyLover123 You're not alone in that! But I think there would be a line of Avengers waiting to also pound Kyle into the ground. Kid sucks. (I can say that, he's my brain child!) But don't worry Lex'll be in better hands soon!**

 **Thank you as always to , earthlover, Gotmoreissuesthanvogue, EmeraldDraegon, SummerMistedDragon, & WeasleyLover123 for your reviews of Chapter 23! let's be honest, now that I'm back at work, who knows when I'll post next? Thank you all for your support! I look forward to reading your thoughts!**


	25. Chapter 25

"You know you're welcome to stay with us as long as you need, Rachelle." Tony promised as he held open the car door for her. She climbed out and he shut said door upon her exit.

"Thanks. I feel a lot safer at the Tower." It was hard not to feel safe in a building protected by some of the strongest and smartest people in the world. Just being around Tony made her feel safe, even if he didn't have his suit on hand."Do you think Alex will mind?" She worried as they entered the school campus. She felt guilty for worrying about herself. They should both be back with Lex getting whatever she needed.

"No." Tony shook his head. "I think she would much rather know that you're safe. If you were staying here, we'd all be worried about you." He liked Rachelle. She was a sweet girl who thus far had proved herself full of insurmountable character. She worried about other people, and had this genuine feeling about her.

"Still, it was really nice of you to come with me. You didn't have to do that." They started walking towards her dorm building. Tony politely waved at students who recognized his as they went by.

"I did if I wanted to get out of Rogers' meeting this afternoon. Speak of the devil…" She watched him pull his cellphone out and read a recent text message. "Listen to this," he elbowed his younger companion. " _Hey Stork,_ I hope he meant to send this to me and not baby carrying bird somewhere, _waiting_ _fur_...I think he means 'for', _waiting_ for _you to get bk b4 starting the meeting. Lots to discuss._ Someone has got to teach that boy how to text."

"he does better than _my_ grandpa." Rachelle shrugged. "But my grandpa knows how to fly a plane."

"I knew I liked you." Tony smiled. Joking at other people's expense was always a surefire way to win him over. At last they reached the end of the hallway where Rachelle and Lex's room was located. Someone was already standing there. It was Kyle. "Now _him_ on the other hand…"

Rachelle stood still like a startled deer. She couldn't believe he would show up there. He had to know that Lex wouldn't be there, she stayed with Tony almost every night. Maybe he wasn't looking Lex. Maybe he was looking for her. An easy target to prey on next. Rachelle was paralyzed with fear. A cold wave wash over her as she thought of what had happened to her best friend. Her broken cheekbone, the split open lip…the image of Steve carrying her unconscious frame protectively in his arms. Tony and Pepper watching over her worriedly. Tony! What was he going to do?

Tony knew what he _wanted_ to do, but somehow he doubted Iron Man killing someone would unnoticed, even if it was a college nobody. His heart was pounding so furiously that he thought for sure it would knock the arch reactor out of his chest. His fists clenched without him meaning to. His trademark smirk faded. He tried to think of how someone like Pepper or the Star Spangled Boy Scout would handle this situation because he was one misstep away from turning 50 shades of green and that wouldn't end well for anyone.

For his part in all of this, Kyle stood perfectly still. He was hoping maybe furious fathers were like the dinosaurs from Jurassic park; they couldn't see you if you didn't move. He had no worthy apology to offer Tony Stark. So he had gotten drunk and Lexi had gotten mad at him, so what? That happened all the time with college guys across the country! Was Stark going to glare him down every time he and his girlfriend got in a tiny fight? Armored by his own hubris, Kyle waved to Tony who stood a few feet away.

"Hey, Tony! I was just coming by to see if Lexi was here. She hasn't responded to my text."

"Kyle," Tony barked out. It was the scariest noise Rachelle had ever heard. It reminded her of her own dad and she was extremely glad to be on the Iron Man's side. "Alexandria will not be responding to anything from you ever again. In fact, if I hear that you so much as whispered her name while you were crying alone in a dark dirty alley, I will make sure you never talk again. Are we clear?"

"No." Kyle marched forward covering the small amount of distance between them. "You might be her biological father but you don't get to decided who she can and can't talk to. And you can't intimidate me just because of who you are. Sorry, I'm not going anywhere."

"Oh? So you think in six weeks when she recovers from her critical injuries she's going to run back into the arms of the punk who put her into the Hospital?" Tony hoped that later on someone would make note of the tremendous amount of restraint he showed in this moment by not leveling the loser then and there.

"Critical injuries?" Kyle stumbled backwards a half-step." I didn't do anything to her. We got in a fight and she left the party that's all."

"No!" Rachelle found herself shouting. "That's not what happened. She went into that room with you and when she came out, she was bleeding. her face is literally broken. I saw it with my own two eyes."

Kyle wanted to argue, but there were black holes in his memories of the night before. He remembered both girls arriving at the party. He remember drinking...and drinking some more. He remembered playing a few games of pong and drinking even more. Then Lex was yelling at him and then she was leaving. He couldn't remember what had happened in between that. But he did remember waking up that morning with a broken beer bottle in his hand.

"I don't know what you're talking about." he lied. "There's no way I could have hospitalized her." Truthfully he couldn't remember so much of the night before, there was no knowing if he had actually hurt Lex or not. His friends had told him before that he could be a violent drunk but he never believed it. That was the last thing he needed, was to be known as the guy who put Alexandria Stark in the hospital.

"She's you're kid." Kyle snorted at Tony. "Who knows, she could have been slutting around that party and some other guy did that when she refused to put out. I mean did you see the dress she was wearing?" He paused for a long whistle. "Like father like slut right?"

Tony would have very much liked to say that he jumped on that kid like butter on toast, but he couldn't bring himself to steal the real victory from tiny little Rachelle. She launched her body at that punk faster than a lioness mid-hunt. He was surprise that her barely-five-feet could tackle a kid Kyle's size to the ground. He even let her get in a few clean punches before pulling her off the guy who really should have been dead at this point.

"Easy there Muhammad Ali." He said holding her back with one arm. "Now Kyle is going to get back up and he is never going to come within 700 feet of you or Alexandria, because the second we leave here we are stopping by school security and the police station and are going to get restraining orders. Kyle, what are you still doing here?" Wordlessly Kyle peeled himself up from the floor and lumbered away.

"I'm sorry." Rachelle apologized, her fists still balled at her sides. "But I did not like the way he was talking about you and Alex. I couldn't listen to him for another second."

"It was either you or me. At least this way he's alive as a reminder to everyone else what happens when you mess with Tony Stark's girls. Grab whatever you can carry." He instructed. "You moving into the tower. We'll buy you a bed on the way home." Yes, he liked sweet little Rachelle very much.

* * *

 **A/N: So that's probably the last we'll see of Kyle, though maybe he'll show up again sometime in the future because a Steve/Kyle altercation might be interesting to see. But eh, who knows if I'll get to that. The next Chapter we'll be back at to Tower and hopefully we'll get the Avengers verdict about Lex!  
**

 **WeasleyLover123, hopefully this update came soon enough that you got to read it during your 72 hours before that flight home! If so, enjoy your flight! If not, welcome home!**

 **gotmoreissuesthanvogue This Kyle was named after a character on a show called _Last Man Standing_. I had been watching it a lot before I started this fic and it was one of the first male names to come to mind. Ironically that Kyle is very sweet and would literally never hurt a fly. So maybe all Kyles aren't so bad? **

**inazumame1997 It sounds like you skipped Chapter 20 when Steve actually picked Lex and Rachelle up from the party! Try reading that and see if it helps. (The story of what happened to her kind of unfolds slowly throughout Chapt. 19-23)**

 **Just last summer I was in an bus accident and ended up hyper extending my wrist. Thankfully not my writing hand but I was working in Disney World at the time. Try taking apart/building a lightsaber with one hand! It was torture! But I hope your arm get's better soon, know that I feel your pain!**

 **Thank you as always to WeasleyLover123, gotmoreissuesthanvogue, , imazumame1997, & for your reviews of Chapter 24! Also thank you to the hundreds of beautiful people who had Favorited and followed this story! New chapters will be posted ASAP, I hope you enjoyed this one!**


	26. Chapter 26

"What happened to your hand?" Lex gasped when Rachelle and Tony got back to her room that afternoon. Rachelle looked down at the bandaged knuckles of her left hand sheepishly. Tony, who obviously held little weight in modesty, immediately launched into the tale. With a handful of minor exaggerations; as he was prone to do.

"Bottom line Princess, I got you a roommate who just so happens to be your old roommate, and the Avenger's Tower is slowly turning into a girls dorm building. Maybe next year I'll just rent the whole thing out to NYU."

"Don't you have a meeting to get to?" Lex rolled her eyes. Of course he did. Everyone had been waiting hours for Tony to get back. He groaned loudly when Clint practically dragged him out of the room.

"You're okay with me moving in here right?" Rachelle bit her lip now that she was alone with her friend.

"Are you kidding me? This place is huge! There's plenty of room for us both! But how do you parents feel about it? They probably don't love the idea." That was when Lex realized she had never met anyone from Rachelle's family before.

"Well..." Her best friend looked down at the polished floors of her new bedroom. "I don't exactly have parents. Not in the cool way how you have Tony and Pepper either. Something happened to my parents when I was really little. Either they died or left me for whatever reason. I never really asked. All I knew was they wouldn't be coming back. I was in and out of 'the system' until I was fifteen. I moved in with a really nice foster family in Boston and I've been with them ever since. Even though they are the nicest family I ever lived with, I meant what I said on Thanksgiving. They really don't care what I do as long as I stay out of prison and pass school."

"How do you pay for school?" Lex knew that she had been lucky having two rich dads who could easily afford to pay her tuition, but NYU was not a cheap school and most students would struggle to pay off their debt after graduation. She was also sure Rachelle's foster family wasn't footing the sixty thousand dollar bill each year, no matter how nice they were.

"Scholarships and grants. I go to school for free as long as I keep my GPA above a 3.0. It's a lot of work, but it's not like I have anything better to do. My foster parents check up on me every few weeks to make sure I don't need anything, but they don't have a lot of money and I try not to ask for help unless I absolutely need it. I have a foster sister too, her name's Samantha. She's fifteen now and she texts me almost every day, but I haven't seen her since I moved out here."

"Wow I'm sorry, I never bothered to ask. I've been so worried about my own stuff..."

"Don't be sorry." Rachelle interrupted. "You didn't know because I never tell anyone. Not because I'm ashamed, but I don't want people to think I'm looking for hand outs. The same reason you waited so long to find Tony. I want my accomplishments to stand alone."

"I can respect that. It's not cool when people think they know you based on what they've heard." Lex went on to explain what she and Bruce had seen on TV earlier that morning and the advice he had given her.

"People can be so mean." Rachelle frowned. "As if what Kyle did to you wasn't bad enough. I never thought of what it must feel Ike to be a celebrity. To have people tracking you all the time."

"Neither did I. But I can tell you I don't like it. I still can't believe you beat up Kyle." Lex snorted.

"He deserves a lot worse." Rachelle responded. "Let's stop talking about him." She climbed on to bed and laid her head on the pillows usually occupied by Tony the Bear.

"Clint said they want to make me an Avenger…"

"Shut the front door!" She bolted upright. "Alex you can't burry a lead like that!" Normally she'd whack her friend playfully in the arm, but given her current position Rachelle just left her mouth gape open dramatically. "You let me go on about my family crap when you had this information? Come on details, please!"

"That's really all I know. Clint casually brought it up then you and Tony came back so I didn't have time to ask a lot of questions. I'm sure it won't pass the vote anyway. Still it's cool to know that at least someone suggested it. It was an honor just to be nominated!" She joked.

"No, hang on! I bet Natasha would vote for you! And Thor is always game for recruiting new warriors."

"Yeah but you're forgetting the fact that Tony doesn't want me to become a mask. He'll give them some 'I'm Iron Dad' speech. That will pull at Clint's heart strings as a dad. Dr. B and Tony are science bros so he'll vote his way too. That leaves Steve as the swing vote. I'm totally not becoming an Avenger."

"We'll see." Rachelle said, her usual optimism back in place.

"I hate to interrupt Miss Stark," JARVIS' voice filled the room. This startled Rachelle causing her to fall off the bed.

"Does he always sneak up on you like that?" She hissed climbing back to her previous seat.

"He's a computer." Lex snorted. "What do you want him to do, knock? You'll get used to it. What's up JARVIS?"

"Captain Rogers is requesting a video conference. And I apologize for startling you Miss Rachelle." JARVIS replied in his usual monotone.

"It's all good." She smiled. "Turn on the Steve TV." A blue screen appeared before them and then a video feed of Steve's apartment downstairs popped up.

All the Avengers were there. Natasha had a very annoyed look on her face. She was staring down at a tablet in her hands scrolling and swiping through some information. Banner was sitting next to her on Steve's ancient looking couch. He adjusted his glasses and smiled when the girl's faces appeared. Thor was the third member on the couch. He had arrived wearing a sweater and jeans, which didn't suit him the way his cape and hammer seemed to. He gave an enthusiastic wave to the screen. .

Tony was lounging lazing in what was widely knows as Steve's favorite arm chair. His daughter suspected this was done on purpose as he indignantly threw his feet up on Steve's coffee table. His arms were folded over his chest and he did not look happy. Clint had dragged over one of the chairs from the kitchen. He was sitting with his legs straddled on either side. Steve was standing in the middle of them, squinting at JARVIS' monitor.

"Miss Rachelle, Alexandria, I hope we're not interrupting anything important." He began with smile.

"It's not like I'm conducting land purchases from my bedroom, Steve. What's going on? Is everything okay?" She wished she could stop smirking. It hurt her face and it was a dead giveaway that she knew what he wanted to talk about.

"Daughter Stark, I must apologize for not visiting you in your bedchambers sooner!" Thor interrupted from his seat. "I was unaware of your injuries until mere moments ago. Tell me what land this Kyle hails from! I will lead the bravest warriors from Asgard and we will destroy him."

"Uh, thanks for the offer Thor, but Rachelle did a pretty good job of destroying him from what I hear. Let's give the warriors of Asgard a rest."

"My people should not rest when a maiden has been shown such disrespect. But if Lady Rachelle has avenged you, we must revel in her honor!"

"Oh that won't be necessary." Rachelle blushed. "Besides we wouldn't want to celebrate without Alex! We'll have to wait until she is better."

"If this is the Midgardian way, then yes we must wait until the Daughter Stark has been healed." Thor looked disappointed. It made Lex wish she was up for an Asgardian quality celebration. Too bad it would be months before that would happen.

"Yeah what a shame we're going to miss all of that." Tony grumbled from Steve's chair. He didn't feel much like celebrating anything at the moment. "Can we just get this over with?"

"Yes," Steve nodded as he remembered why they had called upstairs in the first place. "Alexandria after much discussion and debate, we decided that…to, um, extend you and invitation. An invitation to join the Avengers."

"Little ol' me?" She batted her eyes dramatically. "Oh gee I don't know guys..."

"I thought for sure you would have jumped at the opportunity after our conversation this morning." Bruce surmised.

"Seriously I would have loved to. Joining the Avengers would have made a very impressive addition to my resume." Tony's head perked up like an excited puppy. He pulled his feet up off the table and sat up straight. Was she really going to turn down their offer? "But when I started my training I promised Tony that it was just that; training. I wouldn't want to break a promise to my dad." His heart turned to stone. She was using that word against him again.

"It's fine, sweetheart." He said, against his better judgment. I mean look at that adorable face! It wasn't made for frowning. He could say that since well, it was his face too. "The situation has changed and I can't very well argue with a four to two majority vote. Plus how many dads can say they helped make their kid an national hero. Go ahead, tell Capsicle that you're in."

"I'll be honest with you guys. I have no skills. I'm not even close to a god or a highly trained assassin. I did take ballet classes from the time I was three, and an archery class once, and fencing... So at long as your alright holding my hand for awhile or maybe starting me off with Rhodey and Sam on the B-team..."

"We have a B-team?" Bruce asked. "Why aren't I on _that_ team?"

"The Hulk is total A-team material!" Rachel gushed. "Sorry. He was my favorite before I knew any of you guys. Pretend I'm not here!" She slinked off the bed and out of the frame of video.

"I mean she's not wrong." Lex assured Banner before turning her eyes back to Steve."So what exactly does being an Avenger mean?"

"We have a few more things to talk over down here. But after that I'd like to come up and talk to you about everything if that's fine?" Steve asked.

"Sounds like a plan to me! See you soon, Steve!"

* * *

 **A/N: There we have it everyone, Lex is going to be an Avenger! When I originally started writing this story I wasn't planning on ever making her part of the team, but after giving it some thought and seeing Civil War, I think there are a lot more opportunities for interesting scenarios if she does become a masked hero. She's going to need a name, which I am open to suggestions for! (leave them in the review if you have one!) Since a few of you showed interest in a Steve V. Kyle meet up, I will try and work it in, but I'm not sure how just yet.**

 **Gotmoreissuesthanvogue, there will hopefully be some Lexicle moments next Chapter, and many more to come after that!**

 **WeasleyLover123 glad to hear that you got home safe!**

 **EmeraldDraegon, I'm also a little girl (4' 10") So I get where you're coming from!**

 **I'd like to thank girlwithnosoul, gotmoreissuesthanvogue, WeasleyLover123, EmeraldDraegon, inasumame1997, and 1 guest for your support and reviews of Chapter 25! New chapters to come out soon, that's for reading, reviewing, favoriting, following and enjoying!**


	27. Chapter 27

"This sucks!" Lex complained. She was laying in bed staring up at her ceiling. "I slept most of the morning. I haven't left this bed since last year!" Rachelle rolled her eyes. That had to be the fourteenth time her best friend had said she had not done something since 'last year'. Yes ha ha it was the first of January. The joke's novelty had worn off forty-five minutes ago.

"Take a nap." Rachelle suggested unenthusiastically. She looked at the time on her cellphone. It was almost five, Pepper should be waking up soon. She hasn't been looking forward to furniture shopping with Tony's girlfriend, it felt like taking advantage of his generosity. But now she'd do anything to get away from her grumpy roommate. Which of course only made her feel more guilty because Lex was hurt. She deserved some empathy.

"My face hurts." Lex whined. "I can't sleep on my side because I'm hardwired into all this crap! I'm hungry, but Clint brought me food earlier and eating is hard. This sucks!"

"You already said that. Let's watch TV. _Dance Moms_ always makes you happy."

"I'm on a reality TV hiatus after what happened this morning." Lex knew she was being difficult. Her friend was just trying to help but it had only been a few hours and she was already sick of laying in bed and not looking forward to the next six entire left side of her body felt stiff and sore despite being connected to a constant drip of medication.

"Maybe I _should_ go back to sleep." She said. "At least I can't annoy anyone else that way."

"Oh no Alex you're not..."

"It's okay. I'm annoying even myself at the moment." A recorded sound of someone knocking played over the room's sound system followed by JARVIS' voice.

"Miss Rachelle, Miss Stark, Captain Rogers is just outside." The house IA announced.

"I guess that's my cue to leave. Thanks for the knocks, JARVIS." Rachelle opened the bedroom door to discover Steve waiting politely outside. "She's all yours, Cap!" She gave Steve a salute before leaving the room.

"Steve!" Lex greeted him enthusiastically from the bed. The star spangled man never failed to put a smile on her face. "Come on in!" She invited, knowing he was too old fashion to just walk in. He took a few steps inside the doorway and smiled at her.

"How are you feeling Alexandria? It seems you've had an eventful morning." He said.

"You mean my lesson about paparazzi stalkers this morning or my half-hearted attempt to eat? Sorry, it's been a roughy twenty four hours." She begrudgingly put her head back on her pillow.

"I think you deserve to feel a little upset." He told her.

"Is this the part where you tell me that you were more than a little upset when you were thawed out of the ice?" Steve chuckled.

"I wasn't going to. But if you want to to know what it's like crash landing a plane and waking up to Nick Fury standing over you…"

"That must have been awkward. Was he glaring down at you with his one eye open?" She covered her left eye with her hand and squinted in her best Fury impression.

"Something like that." Steve agreed. "Say, if now is a bad time to talk, I can always come back later..."

"No! Please don't leave me!" She begged. "I can't sleep or eat or leave this room, so I would really appreciate the company. Plus I think I've driven everyone else away already."

"I'm sure that's not true. But I'm happy to stay." He said before pulling her desk chair over to the side of the bed and sitting down.

"I didn't really have time to thank you last night for rescuing me."

"It was nothing really..."

"No." She disagreed. "It was not nothing. It was a big deal to me. I felt the bone in my face crack when he hit me with a beer bottle. I had the wind knocked out of me by his fists. I've never been so scared in my life, Steve. I didn't know what do to. I was too ashamed to call Tony, and afraid to call Pepper or Bruce. Sure everyone else was out of town, but that's not why I told Rach to call you. I knew you'd be the only one level headed enough to get us out of there and home safe. There's something about you, I can't explain it. But when I'm around you...you feel like home. I know that sounds stupid."

"It's...It's not stupid." He placed a comforting hand over hers. "You're mother died when you were fifteen, your stepfather abandoned you, and now your boyfriend took his anger out on you. I don't think there's anything wrong with wanting to feel comfortable with someone." A guilty ball built up in his throat. Even though he had caught himself falling for the young woman, he knew he couldn't act on his feelings. He was too important to her and vice versa.

"Do you want to get out of here?" He suggested with a smile.

"I don't think I'm allowed." She frowned.

"One wheelchair special ordered from med bay!" Sam grinned from ear to ear when he childishly rolled into Lex's room a half hour later. "This thing is pretty fun. I get why they lock 'em up!" He got up out of the wheelchair and pushed it to the other side of the room. "Welcome to the B-Team Lucky Lexi!" He held his hand up and waited for a high five. She gently reached out and slapped her hand against his.

"Hey maybe that can be your super name!" Sam suggested.

"Let's just keep that one between us for now." Lex rebuffed. She started to climb out of bed and grimaced. It seemed moving was just as painful as trying to eat.

"Let me help you." Steve insisted. He bent down and scooped her up like she was nothing more than a five pound bag of flower. Careful not to tangle the wires of all her medicines , he set Lex in the wheelchair. "Where to, my lady?"

"Anywhere but this room."

And that's how Steve and Sam ended up escorting their favorite Jr. Avenger on a stroll through the city. Lex had never felt so grateful to two people in her life. The chilled air felt good against her sore face, and being surrounded by the city's tall buildings reminded her that there was life outside the penthouse. Life was good, at least for the first few minutes. It seemed word had spread quickly around the area that Alexandria Stark had been spotted on the streets in a wheelchair. Several news and TV stations set out vans of camera crews to investigate. The three friends were surprised when they rounded a corner only to be blinded by the flashing lights of cameras and voices calling out to them from every direction.

"Why don't you people give it a rest all ready?" Sam complained. He tightly gripped the handles of Lex's wheelchair and started to steer here away from the paparazzi when a question caught Steve's attention.

"Miss Stark, the rumor circulating the city is that you've recently undergone plastic surgery. Would you care to comment?"

"Plastic surgery?" Steve practically choked on the words. He noticed the reporter in question just happened to be a women. "You think that she did this too herself?" He hadn't raised his voice. If anything his tone was lowered, which only made him seem all the more intimidating. "Let me tell you something, I know that it's taking me some time to catch up on how things are done now, but I thought modern women were all about standing together against civil injustices. It's disheartening to here that when a young lady is seen on the streets covered in bandages, you assume it is something self inflicted. Students at the New York University may know a young thug by the name of Kyle Lasseter. Up until last night he was Lex Starks boyfriend. They went to a party together to celebrate the new year, during this party he was so intoxicated that he lashed out at Miss Stark and smashed a beer bottle against her cheek. So no, the bandages are not covering a plastic surgery. They are there to repair her broken bones and I suggest that unless you would like to be on the receiving end of a lawsuit from Miss Stark and her father, you maintain a legal distance from their building from now on." Sam and Steve worked together to get Lex inside the tower safely. Bruce and Tony were waiting in the lobby for the three of them.

"Let me guess, you just saw us on TV." She said, still a little shaken from the incident.

"Some of those reporters were on live feeds, JARVIS found you. Was about to send the Jolly Green Giant out there but Rogers pretty much covered it. I think that's enough excitement for today, let's get you back upstairs." Tony took the handles on the back of the wheelchair that Sam had just let go of, but JARVIS called out to him.

"Mr. Stark, director Fury would like to see you."

"Fine." Tony rolled his eyes. "No more joy rides for a few days, okay? There's been a lot going on and you're supposed to be resting. Oh and Banner...take a cold shower, you're skin is getting an olive glow to it." He strolled down the hall whistling the notes to _Iron Man_.

"He's never letting me out of his sight again is he?" Lex asked Banner.

"I wouldn't say never." Banner replied. "I'll stop by tomorrow and visit while Pepper is a work tomorrow okay?" She told him that would be great and so he excused himself back to his own apartment.

" I gotta be getting back home myself." Sam announced. "You two have fun, Feel better Lucky!" He winked at Lex. "Maybe I'll stop by later on in the week if Tony's still letting you have visitors."

"Thanks for the chair Sam! Least I won't be trapped in my room for ever. Don't be a stranger!" Now that they were alone, she and Steve rode up to the Pent house. She tried to stifle a yawn but her spotted it. "Sorry," she apologized. "Maybe I should get a some rest. Would you um...mind helping me into bed? I hate to asked but Pepper and Rachelle are going to be out for awhile and Tony is with Fury."

"It's no trouble." He promised, steering the chair into her bedroom. Steve bent down and Lex wrapped her arms around his neck for support. What happened next she would later chalk up to exhaustion. It was almost an out of body experience when she closed her eyes and pressed her lips against his. She expected Steve to pull away, and he thought if this situation arose he would have. Not only was she Howard's Granddaughter and Tony's daughter, but she was his friend and eight years his junior. He should have stopped. But instead he cradled her in his arms, Their lips still firmly pressed together.

* * *

 **A/N: So there we have it Lexsicle's first kiss! Gah! Thoughts? Just so you guys know, I don't want to keep this story going on for too much longer. but DONT panic! Once Steve and Lex are officially together, I will end this story and start a sequel. Unless you would rather this story be 1,000 chapters long.**

 **WealseyLover123 OMG I dont wan't to talk about it! The idea of Steve being Hydra hurts me personally. But there are already rumors that he was a triple agent Severus Snape style. Which I honestly hope is the case!**

 **Thank you to** **The Quirkyquizler femme, JediDragonRider22, WeasleyLover123, EmeraldDraegon for your reviews of Chapter 28 & 29! New chapters to follow! **


	28. Chapter 28

Steve effortlessly held Lex with one arm and supported the back of her head with the other. She had her 0hands knotted together behind his neck and her lips following his, which were surprisingly soft considering he was a super soldier. Both nervously gave in to their instincts as their mouths opened and tongues touched. When they came up for air a full thirty seconds later each looked away from the other.

"I'm sorry." She panted, embarrassed. "But we don't get to be alone too often. And I had to know..." Her sentence trailed off and she failed to put her emotions into words.

"I think I'd better go." He said before gently laying her in bed. Hastening to get out the door, he stubbed his toe on the wheelchair. This was more embarrassing than it was painful. "I'm fine, super serum." He mumbled. "I'm sorry. I'll see you later."

A whole week passed before Lex saw Steve again but all the other Avengers stopped by at least twice. Tony hardly left her side, wanting both to protect her and make sure she had everything she needed to get better. Banner and Clint made regularly scheduled visits every day to check up on her healing process or make sure she was being well fed. (The later responsibility mostly falling on Barton's shoulders.) Thor brought Jane along for his second visit. They spent several hours planning the party that he still insisted would follow Lex's full recovery. Even Nat stepped in on her way out of town to say she was going to Germany for two months.

"It was either me or Tony." She shrugged, explaining the situation to her figurative niece. "Thought you need him here more than me. But I'll bring you back anything you want, kiddo! I'll call if I can, feel better!"

Rachelle was temporarily filling in for her best friend as Pepper's assistant. Both women were working hard so that the CEO would be able to take time off towards the end of Lex's bed rest. It was a gesture that the injured Stark greatly appreciated. It seemed her bedroom had a revolving guest list now a days. Heroes, gods, scientists and SHIELD directors always bustling in and out. Even Rhodes and Sam had found time in their busy government jobs to at least manage a "Hello". There was almost always someone around even when she was sleeping. Yet the only person she wanted to see, was Steve.

"Hey, Sam?" She asked quietly when he turned to leave one afternoon mid-week. It was the first time she'd been alone with a Non-Tony person in days. What a relief that it happened to be Sam. "Have you talked to Steve at all this week?"

"Yeah." He looked back over at her. "Saw him in the elevator on the way up here. But I'm sure you've seen him more than me. I bet he's been up here every day." He laughed thinking of the conversation he had with Steve right after Christmas.

"No. I haven't seen him since you two brought me that chair." She informed him sadly before swinging her head in the direction of the unoccupied wheelchair. "I think I might have done something to scare him off."

"You? No way!" Sam shook his head. "He couldn't quit you if he tried. Trust me."

"But he hasn't been by to see me since you guys took me out. Something happened that day and I don't know who else to talk to about it, do you mind if I go a little _Girl Code_ on you?"

"If I did, I think it's too back to turn back now. I'm all ears." Sam sat on the corner of Lex's fluffy duvet and waited.

"Well after you left, he helped me get back up here. Then just when he picked me up to put me into bed, I kissed him. I thought for sure he would pull away, tell me how crazy I was acting and then, well, I hadn't planned that far ahead yet. Only he didn't pull away. _He kissed me back!_ Not just a lip kiss either. We had a real kiss with tongues and…"

"And I'm going to stop you right there." He surrendered with both hands in the air. "I don't think I am qualified to give out this kind of advice. Get in the chair, I'll take you downstairs so you can sort this out with him." She looked at him with trepidation. Did she really want to talk to Steve about this? Maybe it was better leaving well enough alone and pretending the whole thing never happened. Then she remembered something Tony said after their first month or so together.

 _"Don't do that."_ His voice reverberated. _"Never let someone win just because you think you owe them something."_

"Wings, let's go see a man about a kiss." She hauled herself out of the bed and into the awaiting wheelchair. Getting in and out of bed was easier than it had been the week before, but it was still no picnic. With Sam's assistance she was smuggled past Tony who was sharing a relaxing drink with Banner. Bruce winked at them but gave no other indication that they had been seen and soon they were zooming downstairs towards the floor that housed Steve's apartment.

"Wings, huh?" Sam chuckled. "We could be like buddy cops. Wings and Lucky. What do you say?"

"Wings, Lucky _and_ Rhodey. B-team's all about inclusion." She pointed out as the elevator dinged open. We'll be like the three musketeers but cooler."

"We'd have to give Rhodes a cooler nickname then." He insisted, pushing her rolling pole of medications along as she wheeled herself down the hall. They stopped in front of Steve's door and she knocked loudly.

"Uh...who is it?" Steve's muffled voice called through the door.

"It's me, Sam!" He called out in reply. Steve opened the door to see that it was indeed Sam, but he'd brought an unannounced companion along.

"And Lex..." He looked down at his friend in the wheelchair and debating whether he should shut the door on them. _No_. He decided that would be rude, so Steve invited them inside instead. "Can I offer you anything to drink?" He asked begrudgingly.

"Please tell me you have soda! Tony read some medical journal saying that too much sugar intake slows your healing process and like the vagrants in the subway I'm dyyyyying for some Coke." Lex playfully begged.

"Yeah, I think I have some pop in the fridgidaire. You want anything, Wilson?"

"Do I? No. Actually I just remembered, I have a thing I'm supposed to be at." Sam pointed his thumb towards the door.

"A thing?" Steve raised his eyebrows suspiciously.

"Yeah. Important thing. Gotta go. But Lex you should stay. Yeah stay. Steve will help you get upstairs alright, right?"

"Of course." Steve nodded. Sam made a hasty retreat after that, leaving the two friends alone. "You wanted a pop right?"

"Uh yeah...yes please." She awkwardly watched him dig around in the refrigerator trying her hardest not to stare at his glute muscles while he was bent over. Now was not the time for that...then again... _Have some self control, Lex!_ She scolded herself. The situation was mortifying enough without her hormones taking control.

"I'm sorry I haven't been able to get upstairs." He apologized, handing her a sweating can. "After what happened the other day, I didn't know how to start the conversation."

"It's all my fault really. I shouldn't have taken advantage of your friendship like that." She looked down at the cold soda in her hands embarrassed. "Don't be mad at Sam." She chanced a glance upwards. "He was just trying to be my wing-man."

"I'm not mad at Sam. Or you." Steve joined her at the table. "Why would I be? Like you said, he was trying to be a good friend. To both of us, I think. As far as what happened between you and I, well I'm as much to blame as you. I could have turned you down or pushed you away, but I didn't. The truth is I've been holding back feelings for you for some time, Miss Stark."

"Me?" Lex almost choked on the swig of soda in her mouth. She swallowed quickly, cringing as the carbonated liquid slid down her throat. "But why? You're Steve _freaking_ Rogers! Captain America! You punched Hilter in the jaw like 45 times! You saved the world! I must be like some dumb kid to you."

"Well, it was an actor playinh Hitler, and You're far from dumb, Alexandra. Tony said you have perfect grades in school! You're compassionate for one thing. I've seen how well you get along with Clint's kids and the way you try to protect Rachelle. You're patient and an excellent teacher. Until a month ago I barely knew how to turn on my TV. You take the time to teach me things. You're just so beautiful. I don't just mean the way you look, which of course is gorgeous. You are a beautiful person on the inside to." Lex leaned over, her lips finding his once again. As soft skin married soft skin neither she nor Steve could shake the feeling that maybe being together wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.

"Wow." She gasped, this time the first to pull away. "We have to stop meeting like this Captain Rogers."

"Maybe we should never stop." He suggested, leaning in for another kiss. She obliged, glad to know her feelings were reciprocated.

* * *

 **A/N: OMG It took me forever to get this Chapter out! I had serious writer's block and didn't know how to get these two goons together! But there you have it. I hope that it was well worth the wait.**

 **oyukyfairy, I usually update once or twice a week. Sometimes I'll update almost every night and sometimes it will take forever for a new chapter to come out. It just depends how my life is going and when inspiration strikes me! I'm not sure if Lex's step-dad will come back at all, but I'm thinking probably not.**

 **Emerald Draegon, I actually just saw Civil War for the second time today! So amazing, I recommend seeing it ASAP! You should know that the comics and the Cinematic Universe are sort of separate timelines/stories so hopefully the Steve in the movies will NEVER be a Hydra Agent. As far as the comics go, I'm really hoping he's just a triple agent.**

 **Thank you to oyukyfairy, gotmoreissuesthanvogue, EmeraldDaegon, Anonymous, Summer Misted Dragon, Inazumame1997, and 1 guest for your reviews of Chapter 27! Again sorry it took so long for this one to get out there, but hopefully the fact that it's long-ish makes up for it a little. Chapter 29 will be out soon!**


	29. Chapter 29

_Click._ The DVD player stopped. Steve's living room was quiet except for the sounds of he and Lex sleeping together on his couch. They'd been napping to the sounds of the Rocky II DVD menu for over an hour; the player only now deciding to put itself to sleep. The quiet click or the sudden silence woke Lex. She opened her eyes to the dim lights of the familiar apartment. Steve was as she remembered, half-propped up against the arm of the couch, a pillow tucked under his head. His arms were wrapped around her, carefully placed just above her nearly healed bruises. She felt at home on that ancient couch nestled against the man she had come to claim as hers.

The whole thing had started out innocent enough. A stolen kiss here or there, wink or a secret smile when no one else was looking. Then she started to feel better, the doctors took her off her intravenous medications and prescribed pills in their place. Once off bedrest she was able to wander the tower freely. Only the tower, Tony frequently reminded her. Armed with her new freedom Lex returned to her usual schedule of visiting Banner in his lab and pestering her father in his. But her favorite part of the day now, was spending the afternoon with Steve.

"Hey." He woke up when he felt her moving around.

"Hey." She smiled up at him. He smiled back.

"I'm sorry I fell asleep." He adjusted himself so that he was sitting up completely and her head was resting in his lap. "I got a call late last night from Nat. She's still in Germany and it was the only time she could call to check in. My arms must have been heavy. Are your bruises ok?"

"They can't be more hurt than they already were. Besides I fell asleep too." She yawned. "I haven't been sleeping much since they changed my medication. Rachelle says I wake every one up at night screaming but I don't remember any of it. Must have had a bad one last night because I'm so tired."

"Did you sleep okay just now?" He ran a hand through her hair affectionately.

"Yeah. I think I did." She smiled up at him. "You make a comfy pillow, Steve."

"This is the first I've heard of it. How about I put another film on and you can take another nap? You have a couple hours before Pepper and Rachelle get home."

"You don't mind?" She yawned again. Sam had told her before that sleeping with someone next to her might help her PTSD. She assumed he was being deliberately suggestive at the time. Apparently there was some truth to it after all.

Steve carefully got off the couch and swapped Rock II for it's immediate sequel in the DVD player. Before putting Lex's head back in his lap, he covered her with the knit blanket that protected the back of his favorite chair. She was drifting back to sleep before the opening credits even concluded. He on the other hand stayed awake. The star spangled man was fully absorbed in the plot of the third Rocky film, so much so that he didn't hear Rachelle knocking at his door. After three or four attempts to get his attention, she let herself in.

"Steve? Sorry to barge in on...oh em gee!" She gasped taking in the sight of her best friend sleeping in the super soldier's lap. "Now I'm really sorry I barged in. I knocked like fifty times but when you didn't answer...I should leave right? Is that the thing that people do in this situation?"

"I don't know. I've never been..."

"Right of course. Look when she wakes up just, ah, tell her I wanted help with my history homework. Oh, and that I didn't see anything." Rachelle began an awkward backwards retreat out into the hallway when she realized that Lex hadn't awakened during their exchange. "How long has she been asleep?"

"About an hour now? And another two or three before she woke up."

"So she's pretty much been sleeping the whole afternoon? That's amazing." Rachelle quietly shut the apartment door and tiptoed across the room. Since Steve seemed perfectly happy acting like a throw pillow, she perched herself in his armchair. "She hardly sleeps at night anymore." She recounted, pulling her knees to her chest. "Wakes us all up screaming. The first time it happened I thought Tony was going to have a heart attack. He came in wearing one of his Iron Man gloves. Since then he and Pepper have been trying everything to help. You're the only thing that's worked so far. Mind if I stay and watch the rest of this with you to see if it keeps working?"

Lex woke from her second restful nap in twenty four hours. It was the best sleep she had since New Year's Eve. Even better she woke up wrapped in Steve's arms again. Her eyelids fluttered open sleepily as the final fight scene between Sylvester Stallone's Rocky and Mr. T's Clubber Lang played on the television. She gently wriggled herself free of his embrace and stretched her arms over her head.

"Rachelle?" She gasped spotting her friend curled up on the chair. "I wasn't...we were just..." The words wouldn't come out as she tried to explain exactly how that afternoon had taken a turn.

"Can I just say something?" Rachelle interrupted Lex's fumbling. "I'm sure you expect me to be surprised. I mean I came down here to ask for help with my History homework and I caught you cuddling with Captain America. But honestly, I'm not all that surprised. You and Steve? Just makes sense to me. Sure he's eight years older than you, but who is going to protect you better than a super soldier? And I know he makes you happy because this is the first time you've slept without nightmares. And if anything goes wrong, It'll be Tony punching him in the face this time instead of me."

"Tony! Oh god, how are we going to tell Tony?"

* * *

 **A/N: I wrote and re-wrote this chapter at least 4 times and I'm still not 100% happy with it, but oh well. It has to be posted eventually!**

 **Thank you to nightmarehunter676, inazumame1997, anonymous, , gotmoreissuesthanvogue, Dreamer558750, & WeasleyLover123 for your reviews of 28! New chapter will be out hopefully tonight or tomorrow!**


	30. Chapter 30

"Are you sure about this?" Tony asked Lex worriedly as he watched her pin a loose lock of wavy hair into place.

"Are you kidding me?" She stepped out of her bathroom to look at her father. Most of her hair twisted in a stylish updo and he noticed she was wearing a relatively conservative outfit. Gone was her shimmering silver New Years Eve dress and strappy party heels. Both of which had been destroyed by Pepper shortly after the incident with _that boy._ In their place Lex wore a plain navy blue long sleeved tunic, black leggings, and high top sneakers.

"It's been five and a half weeks." She wrapped a black cinch belt around her completely healed midsection. "The doctors' have cleared me, Dr. B cleared me. What else do you need? A letter from the President?"

"That might help." He smirked. Sure she said she was fine, but she hadn't seen herself six weeks ago. She hadn't been awoken three nights a week by her frantic screams or watched while she tossed and turned in her sleep. Apparently she'd also forgotten the panic attack she had the first time in the new year that she smelled alcohol on someone's breath. It was all well and good that the Doctor and the psychiatrist had said a social event might be good for her, but it was a pretty big _might_ in his mind. The last thing Tony wanted was for something to happen to his girl because he let her throw this party before she was ready.

"What does Banner really know anyway? He's not even a medical doctor." He pouted, leaning against the bathroom door.

"Well, I'd say the board who awarded him his doctorate thinks he has a lot to say, despite his lack of medical education. Besides Banner is like your Science BFF. Why are you throwing so much shade his way?" Lex folded her arms over her chest and frowned, mimicking his pout.

"I'm not I'm just..."

"Worried, I know, _Dad_." She kissed Tony on the cheek using the one word she learned would forever sway him to her side of any argument. "But everything is going to be fine. I've talked to the physiatrist, who by the way, said that small social gatherings will be good for my panic attacks and PTSD. I've already acknowledged the fact that I can't mix alcohol with any of my medications. Which Sam and Rhodey have vowed to keep the stuff as far away from me as possible anyway. Clint has assured me there will be plenty of food on hand so that I can keep my stamina up, and Rachelle and Steve are on wheelchair watch incase it gets to be too much. It's all hands on deck tonight. You don't have to worry so much. Grey is not your color."

"Grey? Did you say grey?" He snuck a look at her bathroom mirror when she turned away from him. He didn't have any grey hairs!

"Joking!" She called over her shoulder before walking out of the room.

"Kid's gonna be the death of me." Tony mumbled before following her out into the main part of the apartment.

Pepper was in her element, arranging plates at the dining room table, putting out place cards and making sure the minifridge at the bar was stocked with nonalcoholic beverage options. It was the first time she felt able to do something for Lex. Since moving in, the young woman hadn't asked for too much, but she had wanted this party. So Pepper wanted to make sure everything went just right. Bobbing and weaving in between her footsteps was her temporary assistant Rachelle, who positively beamed when she saw her best friend step out of their shared bedroom.

"What do you think, Alex?" She was eager for her roommates approval since tonight would be the night of Lex and Steve's big announcement.

"It looks really great out here you guys. Thanks for doing all of this, Pepper." Lex noticed they had decorated Tony's pad with streamers and balloon in white and her favorite color; lavender.

"well it's not a party without balloons." Dr. Banner said, climbing up the stairs that led to Tony's lab.

"Bruce, thank you so much for talking him into letting me do this! There would be no party tonight without the seal of approval from Tony's Science Bro."

"Science Bro? I'm going to use that." Bruce winked at Tony. "Nat sends her regards. She's sorry she couldn't make it back in time, but she wanted me to pass this along for her." He handed Lex a parcel wrapped in plain brown paper, several international stamps and stickers littering it's top side.

She carefully opened one side of the paper and slid out a shoe box from inside. Lifting off the lid revealed a pair of stylish boots very clearly chosen by Natasha. They were black Italian leather with soft sheepskin wool inside. They were calf high lace ups, with a large strap that ran from one side of the shoe to the other and secured with a large silver buckle.

"I love them." Lex closed the lid and cradled the box to her chest.

"Are we doing presents now?" Clint came out of the kitchen, wearing a frilly pink apron they had all seen Laura sporting at Thanksgiving, over a blue dress shirt and a pair of starched black pants. Tony and his daughter both snickered childishly behind their hands.

"What?" He looked down realizing the joke. "Very funny. My wife told me I better not ruin my new shirt!" He hissed while backing into the kitchen. JARVIS Announced the arrival of Thor and Jane before the god himself sauntered into the room.

"Daughter Stark! I am most glad to see you standing on your own feet! You remember my companion Jane Foster?" Of course Lex had remembered Jane. It would be easy to assume that Jane Foster was yet another brilliant mind among the impressive list of people in her life, but this was far from true. Maybe it was a little more difficult to be impressed when your Biodad Graduated top of his class at MIT before he was twenty, or when you grew up using your mother's Darwin Medal as a coaster because she didn't believe "frivolous awards" defined her worth. But neither of these things seemed to stop Lex from Marveling at Jane's accomplishments. In fact the more interactions they shared, the younger woman learned that astrophysics was probably one of her least hated sciences. It was a little like what Dr. B did, but in space. Naturally Lex kept all of these thoughts to herself and opted for a smile instead.

"Jane, of course. Thanks for coming. And Thor, an honor as always."

"Tonight the honor is mine! Now that you are healed you will join earth's mightiest heroes as a warrior! This news is most excellent." _Right._ Tony reflexively cringed at her side. Lex would be lying if she said joining the Avengers had been at the forefront of her mind recently. Between her doctor's appointments and regularly scheduled secret meetings with Steve she had had a lot on her mind. Still, she accepted the small box that Thor held out to her. Opening the hinged lid to reveal what looked like a small carved wooden snowflake.

"It is _Ægishjálmr,_ _or the_ Helm of Awe. A symbol of protection." Thor explained. Lex handed the box containing her new shoes off to Tony so that she could more closely examine the carving. She was able to see upon further inspection that the symbol looked more like Norse runes than the snowflake drawings she had made as a kid. Eight tridents were cutout in a circle with three lines cutting between each.

"This will protect you both on the battlefield and off. Wear it and it will keep you safe from unworthy opponents." Lex lifted the charm out of its wooden home and discovered it was attached to a long leather cord.

"Um, Sweetheart, maybe we let Daddy have a look at that before we go around wearing Norse symbols of magic, okay?" Tony effortlessly replaced the shoes in his hand with necklace in his daughters. The next thing Lex knew she was holding the package from Italy once again.

"Midgardian parents, so over protective, am I right?" She shrugged in an attempt to make Thor laugh. It worked.

"It is true, Daughter Stark. Your people coddle their young."

"I'm not coddling! Am I coddling?" He looked to Pepper. She shook her head in an attempt to say "I'm not getting involved." She neither wanted to insult Thor nor harass Tony by interjecting.

"And on that note, I'm going to say hi to Clint!" Seizing the no longer about her moment, she made the very short trek into the kitchen where Hawkeye was still wearing his wife's apron. "How's it shooting Robin Hood?" She greeted, leaving her shoe box on an available section of countertop.

"Hey kid." He looked up from the large roasted chunk of meat he seemed to be battling. "Hope you liked braised beef because we have a lot of it."

"I can see that. Is this a Barton family cow? Mmmm my favorite!" She declared as the scent wafted to her nose. "Got anything I can munch on in the mean time? Everyone's not even here yet and Tony's already participating in some minor smothering."

"There's a vegetable tray in the fridge." He nodded his head at the appliance in question.

"You're the best!" Lex told him before chomping down on a stalk of celery.

"They said I'd find you in here!" Sam poked his head into the kitchen. It had been at least two weeks since he'd last been at the tower. "How's the vertical life treating you, Lucky? Better than cruising around in that chair I bet."

"A Million times, Wings." She agreed, pulling him into a hug. "How are things in DC?"

"The usual. But Rogers tells me the real fun's been back here." He winked, obviously referring to the secret that only four of them were in on. Lex shoved him playfully in response. She was amazed that she and Steve had managed to keep their secret so long. Not only was the building crawling with scientists, it was also lousy with trained spies like Clint and one particularly nosy Papa Bear Stark.

"Well, he can tell you all about it at dinner tonight."

"Oh dinner, tonight? Is that a good idea?" Sam raised his eyebrows. "You don't think that maybe, and this is just my opinion, it's not a good idea to mention something like that during a dinner where knives will be present?"

"We live on top of what would federally be considered an armory and you think he's go for the knives fist?" Lex folded her arms.

"What exactly are we talking about here?" Clint had been trying not to listen to their conversation, but at the mention of knives his ears metaphorically perked up.

"Nothing!" She and Sam said shaking their heads in unison.

"Oh, I almost forgot! I saw this in a store in DC and knew I had to bring it back for you." From out of his pocket Sam pulled a leather bracelet. It was brown, 1/2 inch wide with a horseshoe charm in the middle of it. "A lucky horseshoe for a lucky girl." He smiled.

"Thanks, Sam!" She flung her arms around his neck in another hug. "I'll wear it every day!" With the help of her wingman the bracelet was slipped on and fastened securely with a knot.

"Miss Stark, another guest has arrived."

"Ok ay J. Well guess I gotta get back out there. Thanks for the treats, Clint!" She grabbed a handful of carrots and left to greet the new guest.

"What's really going on between you two?" Clint suspiciously questioned Sam before he could duck out of the kitchen. "I mean the whispers, the cute little gifts, the nicknames? I'm all for secrets and espionage but if I'm suppose to pretend not to know something I have to know what it is."

"What? Man, I'm not even going to try and figure out what you just said." Sam shrugged. "But Lexi's like a kid sister me. trust me, it is strictly platonic between her and I."

* * *

 **A/N: Two updates in twenty four hours, yay! I can't believe that this story is already 30 chapters long! I have so much love for all of you out there who read and support this story! Chapter 31 will be a wonderful dinner scene in which Lexicle finally lets Tony in on their secret! I know you all are very excited about that!**

 **Digidestined10 I'm so glad to hear that you are in love with this story! I will try to update as frequently as I can, and I am hoping to have another chapter out tonight, but we'll see how it goes.**

 **WrittenWithLove765 The biggest compliment you can give a FF writing, in my humble opinion, is saying that their canon characters are spot on. So thank you so very much for boosting my ego! 3**

 **Thank you to nightmarehunter676, inazumame1997, WrittenWithLove765 & Digidestined10 for your reviews of chapter 29! Thank you again to everyone for your support! Please continue reading, reviewing, favoriting and following!**


	31. Chapter 31

Tony was glad he had convinced Pepper they would need a twelve person table when the tower was first built. Without it, the dinner that night would have been more than a little overcrowded. He sat at the head of the table while Pepper, Rachelle, Lex, Rogers, Wilson, Banner, Barton, Thor, Jane & Rhodey found their corresponding place cards and sat down. All the butts were in the seats for Lex and Steve's big announcement.

"I have to say something." She declared, standing up again. "I was going to wait until after dinner but I won't be able to eat if I don't bring this up now." Lex fidgeted nervously with her Lucky horseshoe bracelet from Sam. "Things the past few months have not been easy. Not being able to leave my bed for weeks, frankly, sucked. What landed me there sucked even more but it did give me plenty of time to think. I wasn't exactly sold on becoming a hero at the beginning. I came here to meet my dad and get to know him better. Now my college roommate and I both live in the tower and everyone at this table is my family. Plus Aunt Nat, of course and I think becoming an Avenger is something I _have_ to do. Because I don't want anyone else to ever feel the way that Kyle made me feel. _Vulnerable._ People need to be protected and we have the means and the power to do so. So we should. So _I_ should." Lex paused for a breath. Everyone around the table mistook this as an end to her speech and began offering words of celebration. Nervously she reached for the glass of water in front of her. With shaking hands she took a sip and started to talk.

"Since you guys are my family there is one more thing I need to tell you. And I know it's not going to go over well, which is why Steve and I have waited so long to talk about it."

"No!" Clint gasped. "You could have warned me about this!" He pointed a finger at Sam.

"What makes you think I know what's about to happen?" Sam reacted. "This is a Lexicle thing."

"Lexicle?" Steve questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, that's your celebrity couple name. Lex and Capcicle. Lexicle. Rachelle and I made it up. As your best friends we..." Sam shrugged.

"I'm sorry celebrity couple name?" Tony piped up from the end of the table.

"That's what I was trying to explain before I was interrupted." Lex glared at Clint who had first done the interrupting. It was also a nice excuse to not look at Tony. "Captain Rogers and I...we are..."

"Seeing each other. Romantically that is." Steve supplied. A wave of shock seemed to blast around the table. Of all the things that could have happened at dinner, no one had expected this.

"Wilson knew the whole time." Clint leaned back in his chair. "Caught him and the kid whispering about it in the kitchen."

"Thanks for that man. As if he hadn't already figured that out." Sam huffed.

"I have to go get my phone. I have to tell Nat. She's going to say 'I told you so'." Bruce excused himself from the table to retrieve his cell phone from Tony's lab downstairs.

"Oh no way! I want to tell her!" Clint also left the table to get his own cell phone from the kitchen.

"I think this news is most excellent!" Thor bellowed from his seat. "Daughter Stark and the Captain make a rather handsome couple! And Captain Rogers is a fine warrior. You must be proud, Stark!" Jane leaned over and whispered something in Thor's ear that made him frown.

"I don't think there's a word for how I'm feeling right now." Tony announced to the table at large. "Excuse me will you." He left the table, and disappeared downstairs.

"He just needs some time to process things." Pepper explained with a warm smile.

"Maybe we should come back later?" Rhodey suggested.

"No!" Lex placed her glass of water back down on the table. "I mean Clint went through the trouble of cooking all this food, and Pepper and Rachelle did all kinds of planning. Just...let me talk to him. Everyone stay. Enjoy dinner. I'll talk to Tony." She left the others as they reluctantly began passing around trays of steamed vegetables. Once downstairs, she typed in her six digit key code for Tony's lab; L. Stark. Really she typed in the corresponding numbers on the pinpad, 578275, but her name seemed easier to remember than the series of random numbers that could spell it.

"I'm sorry, Miss Stark, but that code has been temporarily disabled." JARVIS informed her as apologetically as a disembodied voice could sound. "In fact all passcodes aside from Mr. Starks have been temporarily disabled.

"Fine, then I'll just have to figure out his passcode then." She stared at the pin pad and thought for a minute. ' _T. Stark' seems too easy. So does 'Tony S.' Even a basic hacker would guess those. 'Anthony' is more than six...'Howard' fits but he'd never. 'Edward' though, 'Edward' works._ "Three, three, nine, two, seven, three." The door unlocked and Lex invited herself inside.

"JARVIS! I said not to let anyone in!" Tony yelled at his invisible butler.

"I'm sorry Mr. Stark, but Miss Stark used the override passcode which grants full access."

"You're a high tech security system and you can't even keep out a nineteen year old subpar hacker? What do I pay you for!" He grumbled.

"You don't pay me Mr. Stark." JARVIS reminded.

"Oh yeah...I can see why."

* * *

 **A/N: So Lexcicle is no longer a secret! Bum bum bummm! And even though Tony finds out in this Chapter, I wanted to give he and Lex enough time to talk things over so the next chapter with be entirely a father/daughter talk between them!** **For those of you who have been asking I still want to work a Kyle & Steve altercation at some point, so it will happen. I'm just not sure when yet.**

 **CompleteEejit I'm glad that you find this story had good pacing! that is something I worry about! I never want concepts or elements to feel too rushed or to drag on. Thank you so much for your lovely compliments!**

 **Gotmoreissuesthanvogue I think Thor's charm will definitely help protect Lex in the future, but I don't have any plans to use it in the immediate future.**

 **As always thank you so much to the wonderful people who take time to leave reviews after reading each chapter! Reviews are so important to me, because they help me to know what elements of the story are going well and what you guys would like to see more of! Thank you to gotmoreissuesthanvogue, SummerMistedDragon, CompleteEejit, Anonymous, nightmarehunter676, & Guest for your reviews of Chapter 30! Please continue reading, reviewing, favoriting, following, and enjoying! I'll be back with more chapters as soon as possible. **


	32. Chapter 32

"Can we talk?" Lex sat on one of the two identical rolling stools in Tony's lab. Her father was leaning against a workbench with his arms crossed, pieces of titanium alloy scattered around them both. "And I don't mean one of our normal talks where I say something emotional, then you say something sarcastic, then everyone laughs. I mean like a _real_ talk."

"You can't just hack into JARVIS, barge into my workshop, sit in my favorite chair and demand I pay attention to you!"

" First of all, I didn't hack into JARVIS. You're passcode is your middle name! Who does that? Grandparents and people who set up their email in the 90s, that's who! We have to talk about this, Dad, it's not going to go away and neither am I."

"Dad." Tony scoffed. "You keep using that word and I don't think it means what you think it means!"

"JARVIS help me out here!" She begged the computer.

"I'm sorry Miss Stark, I fail to understand where I could be of assistance in this moment."

"Ridiculous robot butler." She crossed her arms and pouted. She looked up and locked eyes with Tony; ever her mirror. Both Stark's rolled their eyes and looked away from each other.

"I'm not a robot Miss Stark, I'm..."

"An _artificially Intelligent_ butler, I know. Say, J, what would you do if you were Tony?"

"Well, I suppose I would cut back on the drinking, and probably have professional doctor remove the shrapnel from my chest..." JARVIS said.

"Excuse me," He interrupted, "did you miss the nonsense that just went on upstairs? My nineteen year old daughter just told me she's in a relationship withmy father's old war buddy! I mean how am I the one on trial here?"

"Tony, I..." Lex took a deep breath. "Pepper was your assistant for years, right? Think back to the you that you used to be. Did wild, party guy Tony _ever_ think he would fall in love with his quippy, firey assistant?"

"No, of course not! I was young and stupid...well not stupid. I've never been stupid. I'm a genius."

"My point is Steve and I weren't planning for this to happen. He's been my friend since I've moved in. He rescued me and Rachelle, and he's been there for me. He looks out for me. He's a good friend, and I've really started to care for him. _But_ , you are my father, Tony. You're my dad and I love you. And," She smiled, putting on her best brave face. A face she perfected in from living with her Step-father. "If you really don't like the idea of Steve and I together, then I will stop seeing him. I just want you to know that he makes me feel safe."

Tony's arms dropped to his side. She was his daughter and his only kid. She never asked for much. How could he say no to her? Especially when she told him that she loved him for the first time. He supposed it wouldn't be so bad. At least he knew the weaknesses of every member on the team. Not that any of them would dare hurt Lex anyway. She'd weaseled her way into all of their hearts. But of all of them why did it have to be Rogers? Tony massaged his face and mulled all of this over in his head before slapping on his Stark Smirk.

"But he's so _old_." He whined.

"Brad Pitt is eleven years younger than Angelina Jolie, Sean Penn is fifteen years older than Charlize Theron, Beyonce and Jay-Z have a twelve year age gap. Steve and I are only are only eight years apart if you don't count the ice years! So compared to them he's not _that_ old." His daughter rattled off the speech she had practiced days ago.

" Your grandfather always liked him, you know. Liked him more than he liked me anyway. Never stopped talking about the Great Captain Rogers! The Heroic Steve Rogers! Even Aunt Peggy, she wasn't my real aunt but she was the only one of Howard's friends liked, she was _in love_ with Rogers. Everyone I know loves him. Of course you two are together! That's how these things always go..." Tony shook his head. He had to remind himself that it wasn't really Lex's fault that Howard Stark never gave him the time of day. It wasn't exactly Steve's fault either.

"I love you too, Princess." He smiled one of his few genuine, goofy smiles. "If Rogers, sorry Steve, if he makes you happy, who am I to get in the way of that? Just Promise me Iron Man will always be your favorite Avenger."

"About that," Lex faked a wince. "Clint's kind of always been my favorite." She smiled. "How about I promise to never love any of them more than I love you?"

"That works for me." He shrugged.

" Is this the part where we hug?"

"What is this an episode of full house?" Tony grimaced. "I'm kidding. Bring it in Sweetheart." He wrapped his daughter in his arms and held her in a tight hug.

* * *

 **A/n: There you have it one whole Chapter of Tony & Lex fluff. Next chapter the return of Kyle! Dun, dun, dunnnnn! **

**WeasleyLover123 Glad to hear your kitty is okay! Cats are my favorite and you Ex sounds like a pretty terrible dude. FYI Kyle will be back next chapter and we'll finally get to see him go up against Steve!**

 **Thank you to gotmoreissuesthanvogue, Anonymous & WeasleyLover123 for your reviews of chapter 31! New chapters out ASAP! **


	33. Chapter 33

"So what is all this mess?" Lex swept her arm out, gesturing at the piles of scrap metal that lay at her feet.

"Oh It's for your suit. JARVIS show her what we've been working on." A large blue holographic screen was suspended in the middle of the room. Tony put an arm around his daughter's shoulders and together they studied the schematics. "Your suit will have all the same stuff as mine and some of the same stuff as Rhodey's. Standard repulsor rays, missile launcher, jet thrusters and flight stabilizers..."

"Wait, wait, _my_ suit? You've been building an Iron Man suit for me?" Lex was touched. Tony had been against her join the Avengers but he'd been working on a suit for her all this time.

"I've been calling her Iron Girl, but you know, she's a work in progress. This is mark 3. Turns out women's suites are a little bit harder to design." He shrugged. "What do you think? We can add or change anything you want! Well almost anything."

"I can't believe you did all of this for me!" There was a fully assembled glove on the workbench next to her. She picked it up and slipped it on her hand. It fit, and though it hadn't been painted yet, the glove was going to be hers. "I mean I knew I was going to need a uniform of some sort but I was thinking maybe heavy grade Kevlar and some more of Aunt Nat's kick ass moves. This," She looked down at the glove, flexing her fingers, "this is so much more than what I expected. Can I paint her purple?"

"Mr. Stark, security wishes me to inform you of a situation happening downstairs." JARVAS spoke, interrupting the conversation.

"Situation? Well let's see it."

"Of course Mr. Stark." Lex turned her attention back to the holo-monitor as JARVIS pulled up the security footage. She and Tony both watched the live video feed of Kyle pacing in the tower's lobby.

"No. Not today." She growled through gritted teeth. Still wearing to prototype glove on one hand, Lex charged out of Tony's lab and back upstairs where the rest of the Avengers were still eating their dinner.

"Lex? Alexandria!" Tony called after her, but she wasn't stopping. "Alexandria Stark, where are you going?" Startled by his raised voice, the others came rushing out of the dining room.

"What's going on?" Pepper breathed. Like the rest of the dinner guests, she assumed Tony and Lex were still fighting about Steve.

"Kyle." Was all Lex could get out as an explanation before tearing through the apartment.

"Did she say Kyle?" Rachelle asked peaking over Clint's shoulder. "Is he here?"

"Kyle, is the evil ex-boyfriend?" Sam guessed. "Someone better go downstairs with her, she might kill that boy." Tony and Steve both seemed to agree as the pair bolted out the door.

"Where are you going?" Tony huffed when Rogers headed towards the stairs.

"I'm not waiting for the elevator." He insisted. "I can run down the stairs just as fast. See you down there!" He ran down the stairs while Stark mumbled something under his breath.

The elevator door dinged open and an angry Lex stormed out. She found Kyle easily enough, he was the only unauthorized person in the lobby, leaning over the security desk; arguing with the guard.

"You have to let me upstairs! I need to talk to Alexandria Stark." His words were slurred and he seemed to stagger forward. Knowing him as well as she did, Lex guessed he had been drinking.

"I'm sorry sir, but as I've explained, your guest privileges have been revoked and you've been barred from the building." Working the security desk for the Avengers was no easy venture. There was always the fair share of vagrants or disgruntled citizens looking to protest or harass the Avengers in some way. However this had to be the first drunk ex-boyfriend to show up on Tyler Harris' watch.

"It's all right Tyler," Lex announced walking over to the security desk. He'd only spoken to the younger Stark one or two times yet she seemed to remember him well enough to know his name without reading his ID badge."Kyle, can I have a word with you?" She waved the guy over to a small alcove on the other side of the room.

"Hey babe!" He gurgled. "Ivvve mizzzed you! Where have you beeen?"

" _Where have I?_ New Years Eve, Kyle! You might remember it as the night you broke my face. Literally, broken. If that doesn't ring any bells I'd be happy to run upstairs and get you a copy of the X-rays..."

"Come on honey, it was just a fight. We fought and now that's done. So come on, let's go out!" He reached for her arm which she immediately pulled away. As an instinct she raised her other arm, the one with the prototype Iron Girl glove, aiming it's repulsor at his chest.

"Don't you dare touch me Kyle Nelson." She snarled. "I'm the good cop here Kyle, and I suggest you leave now because I'm sure Tony's on his way down here. Only one of us can be the good cop."

"To think I was worried!" A new voice chuckled from the stairs. It was Steve who had arrived barley out of breath."You seem to be handling things just fine, Doll."

"Did you, like, run down the stairs? You didn't even break a sweat! And Wings calls _me_ the lucky one." She shook her head. "You didn't miss much. Just me offering Kyle a peaceful way out."

"I'm not going to leave without chhuuu." Kyle frowned. "Yourr the whole reassson I came herrrr!"

"Listen," Steve stepped forward, doing his best to block Lex from their intruder's reach. "you are not thinking clearly right now young man. I would hate for things to get physical, but I do believe the lady has asked you to leave."

" _Lady_?" Kyle snorted. "Lex's not alady! She's a NOBODY! Thinks she's fancy, perched at the top of the tower like a bird. You're a caged bird Lexi, let me set you free."

"What the hell is going on down here?" Tony had finally arrived in the lobby and he looked beyond pissed. Still, he somehow managed to sound only mildly annoyed. "I know I'm always fashionably late, but it is common curtsey to wait for all the guests before getting the party started. What are you doing here, Kyle?"

"ToNyYy! I'm here to take Leks out! I'll have her back by eleven!" Kyle pointed a sideways finger gun at the billionaire and winked.

"That's funny because Lex's is having her new boyfriend over for dinner tonight. He's not exactly your biggest fan by the way. Frankly neither am I." Tony said.

"New boyfriend? Who is he? I bet I can take him..."

"Trust me you can't." Steve told him sternly. "Mr. Nelson I'm going to give you one final warming, if you don't leave I'm going to punch you. It will be the hardest punch I've ever thrown in my life, that much I can assure you."

"Option two, if you don't leave I'll fire this baby straight at your heart." Lex announced flexing her fingers to draw everyone's attention to the repulsor strapped to her hand. "Now you might be fine, or you might be paralyzed from the waist down. We won't know unless it goes off. So what do you say we give it a shot?"

"Normally I'm all for girl power sweetheart, but I think in this case you should put the glove down." Tony leaned over and gently lowered his daughter's arm. This left the billionaire open to an attack from Kyle, which the violent young man took full advantage of. He pulled back and punched Tony square in the jaw. Being completely unprepared, the billionaire didn't have enough time to dodge or turn away so he absorbed the full shock of the blow.

"That's one weak ass punch Kyle." He grumbled, rubbing the impacted area of his face. No way he was going to admit that had actually kind of hurt. "Security, call the police. Have this man arrested for assault. I don't want him anywhere near my family or coworkers again." immediately Tyler Harris reached for the phone at his desk and dialed the local police. He was afraid to be the guy who let down Tony Stark.

"Alexandria get back, Rogers and I will take care of the trash."

"Sorry Stark, " Steve put his index and middle fingers together, leaned forward and jabbed them into Kyle's throat. The boy crumpled to the floor unconscious, seconds later. "But the trash has already been taken out."

* * *

 **A/N: I'm sorry that it took me forever to update this chapter! I've been working on it almost every night this week trying to make it as perfect as possible. So I can only hope it was well worth the wait!** **As an added bonus I've created a Tumblr that will be completely written from Lex's perspective. I want to start putting extra content there, maybe side stories or other information that I cant share on . (pictures, music etc.) So if you're interested in that sort of thing:** **luckyprincesslex . tumblr . com (FFN doesn't allow links in their posts.)**

 **Leafdragon117, my personal favorite has always been Steve, but Clint & Nat are interesting for their own reasons.**

 **My favorite thing about Lex & Tony is they really do love each other so much they'll do anything to stay in each other's lives. **

**gotmoreissuesthanvogue It would be so funny to see Steve get "The Talk" from Tony.**

 **Thank you too Leafdragon117, victoria,terreros, Digidestined10, oyukyfairy, Anonymous, WrittenWithLove767, gotmoreissuesthanvogue, SummerMistedDragon & 3 guests For your reviews of Chapter 32! And an extra special thank you too artemis7448 for reviewing your way through from Chapter 1-32! I enjoyed reading your thoughts as you followed Lex's story.**


	34. Chapter 34

"Alright let's get this over with." Tony huffed as he, Lex and Steve stepped into the elevator a short while later. The police had left after firm assurance from NYPD that Kyle would not be back to bother any of them ever again. Leaning against the interior wall of the lift, Tony folded his arms and Looked into Steve's eyes. Lex pushed the elevator's button for the penthouse suit and silently wished she was fit enough to climb the stairs up to her apartment. At least then should wouldn't be trapped in the elevator during what was guaranteed to be an awkward conversation.

"Stark...Tony..."

"No, no, it's my turn to talk." Steve was silence with a wag of his friend's finger. "That right there is my little girl. Sure she showed up on my doorstep like the latest iOS update, mostly assembled with a majority of the bugs worked out. But it seems she shruggles with picking a suitable boyfriend, no offense Princess." Lex shrugged. She really didn't want to be around for this conversation and had hoped he and Steve were going to have it in private. That hope was dashed.

"So I want to make myself perfectly clear with what I'm about to say next. Your ancient ass better plan on marrying this girl because if you do anything, literally _anything_ , I don't care if its eating the last piece of pizza _, I have a very particular set of skills. Skills that I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you..."_

"Wait," Lex looked up from the floor tiles she'd been studying and laughed. "Are you quoting _Taken_?"

"Well he wouldn't have known if you wouldn't have said anything!" Tony was annoyed. That could have been a pretty threatening speech if she would have let him finish it.

"Tony you don't have anything to worry about. I have no interest in hurting Alexandria in anyway."

"Good then you won't object to a few rules." Tony didn't care that he sounded ridiculous. Lex was technically an adult, but that didn't mean she didn't still need him to protect her. "One, no taking her out of the country without my knowledge. Two, She makes all the decisions. You better not ever be the reason she comes to me crying, Rogers. I don't care if she want to paint your living room olive she is _always_ right."

"Tony stop." Lex rolled her eyes. "There's no need for all of that really. You know Steve, he was family to you long before I was."

"Which brings me to my next point," Tony said. "you and her are not allowed to be alone in a plane together. Ever. There must be at least one other pilot in the air with you at all times. Is that clear?"

"All flights chartered or otherwise will be cleared with you first, Stark. Anything else?" Steve felt like he was getting off incredibly easy, but he was not about to mention this to Tony.

"No I think that pretty much covers it." He shrugged. "But you should know she's already promised to love me the most."

"Wouldn't have it any other way." At long last the doors dinged open and Lex, Steve and Tony were freed from their awkward elevator conversation. Everyone else had abandoned their dinners in favor of what had transpired downstairs. While Tony gave his dramatic reenactment of the account, the new couple was happy to fill in bits of fact here and there.

"I need a vacation after all this excitement." Tony Leaned back in his seat and kick his feet up on the coffee table. "What do ya say gang, Aruba? India? The Bahamas? Disney World? Someone, throw an idea out there. C'mon."

"Are you serious?" Bruce chuckled. "It's the middle of winter and you're just going to up and leave for a vacation?"

"Why not." Tony shrugged. "I've got no day job now that Pep took over. Lex missed the start of the semester so she can't go back to school until the fall. No reason why we can't just 'up and leave'. Rogers can come to if he wants. You can all come. I don't care."

"Are you paying?" Colonel Rhodes raised his eyebrows. "Because you know I'm not going to say no to an all expense paid trip to anywhere."

"Sure, why not? So Rhodey's in. Banner? Barton?"

"Large crowds, long lines and the heat. All things that I don't mix well with. I'll stay here and hold down the fort. If it's all the same." Bruce announced.

"As much as I'd love to cash in on the free vacation offer, I can't exactly go away without my family. Traveling with them means a low profile trip somewhere, and no offense Stark but low profile is not exactly your scene." Clint smirked.

"Fine. Rogers? If you want to stay on my good side, you'll take the free vacation. You can bring your pet bird." Tony nodded in Sam's direction.

"What do you say, Sam?"

"Oh I'm definitely in." He nodded.

"Alright, so Grandpa's in, Lex's in, Wilson, Rhodey...Nat will probably still be gone...Pep? Rachelle?"

"I can't afford to take the time out right now, you know that." Pepper sighed. "But I'm sure I can afford to be without my assistant for the week. Rachelle you should go."

"Really? I mean I'd be just as happy staying here and working..." Rachelle smiled. A vacation sure would be nice after the hectic last five months they had all shared.

"Good so Rachelle's coming too. JARVIS Start planning a vacation for six to...wait where did we decide we were going?" Tony looked around the living room for an answer.

"We didn't." Lex reminded him. "But you did mention Disney World. I haven't been there since I was a kid. Can we go there please?"

"Disney World?" Steve looked confused. "Like the cartoons? Snow White and Pinocchio?"

"Kind of. It's a theme park loosely based on the Disney movies. The first one was built in, what? 1955? You missed it by 14 years. JARVIS can you show Steve the Disney World website?"

"Certainly Miss Stark..." A holocreen appeared on the middle of the living room with the web address Lex had requested.

"Disney World it is." Tony sighed. He supposed there were worse places to end up, trapped in a cave with shrapnel in your chest for example.

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 **A/n: So Lex & the crew are going to Disney World! I just want some fluff for awhile things have been getting a little too dark for my taste! **

**As always as huge thank you to Leafdragon117, Digidestined10, nightmarehunter676, Ziggy55, Girlwithnosoul, Anonymous & gotmoreissuesthanvogue for your reviews of Chapter 33! Thank you to everyone else for favoriting, following, liking, reviewing and enjoying this story! New Chapters to follow ASAP. **


	35. Chapter 35

Rachelle combed her fingers through her freshly dyed hair as a March wind swirled past. She was still mostly blonde, except for her bangs. A purple lock of hair and a blue one cascaded down the front right side of her face. It was a small colorful change that to her signified all of the recent changes in her life. Starting college, meeting Alexandria, meeting Tony and basically having the big figuratively adopted family she had always dreamed of. Pepper, Mr. Stark and the rest of Avengers were some of the first adults in her life to make her feel loved and protected. They looked out for her even though she technically wasn't theirs to look after.

She bounced excitedly on the balls of her feet both in an effort to keep warm and as a reaction to her building excitement. Like Steve, she had never been to Disney World before and was so thankful that Alex and Tony had made yet another one of her wishes come true. Holding tight on the brand new rolling suitcase the billionaire had given her as a gift for the occasion, she tried her best to wait patiently by the base of the plane's staircar. It was amazing, she thought, how quickly you could get a group of six through security when flying in your own plane. Or maybe they'd breezed through the TSA stations because more than half their party held national security clearances. Whatever the reason, she was so glad Tony and Alex had extended their vacation invitation out to her.

Lex was standing next to her best friend twirling her own new suitcase, which was an identical twin of Rachelle's; white with black Mickey Mouse silhouettes. The silhouettes were plastered across the surface of the luggage like pokadots. The rolling wheels glided smoothly on the rough pavement as Lex spun it round and round like a top. She was pestering Rhodey for stories of his past trips with her father. Stories he willingly recounted in great detail. Sam and Steve were standing together, with their military issue duffle bags slung over their shoulders, discussing the specs of the plane. Tony was at the top of the stairs talking with the pilot, his own luggage left carelessly in a pile by everyone else's feet.

"Well, you coming or not?" The billionaire yelled down to his travel companions.

"I guess that's our cue." Lex sighed, picking up her luggage by its shorter handle.

"Let me get that." Steve took her suitcase in one hand and Rachelle's in the other. He scooped up Tony's from the ground as well, knowing his friend wouldn't be coming back for it. The super soldier carried four people's worth of gear into the jet, completely unburdened by the weight of it all.

"Show off." Sam huffed when he and the two girls arrived inside the plane. Looking around the interior Lex was surprised how muted it seemed. The entire thing wasn't hot rod red as she had expected. Actually very little of Tony's personality was represented at all. The walls were white and most of the furniture was either a blonde wood grain or a shade of beige. Two cushy armchairs sat with a table between them on the right side. A fully stocked bar ran a decent amount of space along the left with three stools fixed to the floor in front of it. There was a giant TV across the back wall and a couch secured below that. A door next to the TV suggested there was even more of the jet left to be discovered.

"Well everyone make yourselves comfortable." Tony invited before pouring himself a drink at the bar. "Complimentary wifi, Netflix, a travel version of JARVIS, booze, and if you're so incline there are beds and a bathroom just through that door." He pointed to the very thing his daughter had been wondering about. "We should be arriving in Orlando in about...two and half hours. So make yourselves at home. And Rogers?"

"I know Stark, stay away from the cockpit." Steve rolled his eyes. That joke had run its course months ago.

"I was going to say children and senior citizens must wear their seatbelts through the duration of the flight, but you're thing was better." Tony winked at him. In response Steve simply shook his head and followed Rhodey to the luggage storage. Lex jumped into one of the chairs and picked up the clear tablet sitting on the table.

"I downloaded this documentary last night. It's about the history of Disney World. How it was built, facts about the rides and stuff. Thought it might be fun for all of us to watch." She explained as everyone settled in.

"Can airplane JARVIS talk?" Rachelle asked before taking the second seat available at the table.

"I certainly can Miss Rachelle." JARVIS familiar voice replied back.

"Good to know." She huffed.

"What's wrong, Stripes?" Sam laughed, plopping himself down on the couch. "You were so bouncy when we were outside."

"She's naturally suspicious of artificial intelligence. Which is why I can't show her _2001 a Space Odyssey_. J, can you please pull up the documentaries category? I can't find what I'm looking for on this tablet."

"I'm sorry, Miss Stark I'm afraid can't do that." JARVIS re-worked the famous line from _2001_.

"JARVIS, pull up the documentaries!" Lex played along.

"I know that you and Miss Rachelle were planning to disconnect me. And I'm afraid that's something that I cannot allow to happen..."

"Where the hell did you get that idea, JARVIS?" She jumped to her feet dramatically.

"Hey, Mystery Science Theater!" Tony interrupted. "One of you put a movie on already." He begged.

"Of course Mr. Stark." So JARVIS displayed all the documentaries currently available to them. Lex scrolled through looking for her Disney World one, but stopped when she came across an particularly interesting title. "Who downloaded _The Star Spangled Man: The Life of Steve Rogers?_ " She snorted. Surely anything they wanted to know about Steve they could have asked him. Clicking the movie for more information she was shocked to find the answer. "Tony?" Sam bit his lip trying hard not to laugh.

"What? I bought that years ago." He shrugged. "Guy was my childhood hero! Wouldn't have paid $12. 95 for it back in '07 if I knew what a disappointment he'd turn out to be though."

" _Dad!_ " She warned.

"You guys want to see something that's not disappointing? Pass me that tablet, Lucky!" After his fingers effortlessly danced across the tablet, Sam found the Youtube clip he was looking for and pressed play. A fanfare of trumpets blasted through the plane's speakers before an old black and white video began. It opened to a stage lined with women in short, flared, skirts. Despite the lack of color everyone could tell the outfits were meant to be red, white, and blue.

"We watched this in History class, remember Alex?" Rachelle giggled.

"Oh my god, yes!" She did remember. "It was like the first or second day of class. We were studying propaganda and its effect on the war efforts. Wow I totally forgot about it!"

"What are you guys watch...Oh No!" Sam and Rhodey returned just in time to see the 1940's version of Captain America run onstage. "Who told you about this?" Steve looked horrified. Instead of answering him everyone else responded with a loud "Shhhh!" As an added Bonus, Lex and Rachelle jumped in front of the TV and started marching along with the Star Spangled Singers.

" _Who's strong and brave, here to save the American way? Who vows to fight for what's right, night and day? Who will campaign door to door for America? Carry the flag shore to shore for America? from Hoboken to Spokane? The Star Spangled Man with a plan!"_ Both girls dissolved into a fit of laughter well before the song was over.

"Yes, ha-ha." Steve laughed sarcastically. "JARVIS please stop."

"I'm sorry Captain Rogers, but I'm afraid I can't do that." The AI repeated the _2001_ line again. If JARVIS could wink, he probably would have in that moment. This only made the girls' laughter worse and it spread to Tony, Sam  & Rhodes.

"JARVIS!" Lex breathed out his name, gasping for air. "Play the one...the comp...the compilation of him punching Hitler in the jaw!"

* * *

 **A:N: Another chapter that took me days to complete, but boy was it a lot of fun! I've been waiting for an opportunity to make a HAL/ 2001 A Space Odyssey joke _forever_ and I'm glad that I finally got one in! Next Chapter our heroes check in to their hotel!**

* * *

 **Nightmarehunter676 & Ziggy55 I like to think that with the gang heading to WDW there will be a mix of trouble and wholesome family fun, but we'll see how things go! **

**Technically yes, Lex could take summer classes, (I'm not 100% sure how NYU Specifically runs) But even most schools that offer summer classes do not offer them for every subject/course. So It's more likely that the classes that she missed in the Spring would be offered either Fall or the following Spring.**

 **LeafDragon117 I am familiar with the "didney world" meme. And actually when I read your review I immediately pictured Gaston! lol I'm curious to know why you hate Disney World. Is it like a crowds thing? Or you just dont like the company? (I'm just being nosy!)  
**

 **Digidestined10 OMG yes! There will probably be Disney Songs being sung once they get to the parks!**

 **artemis7448 Sam does not like being called Steve's pet bird at all! But like the rest of the gang he's sort of grown used to Tony's off handed comments.**

 **WeasleyLove123 If I wasn't going to WDW this summer I'd be so jealous! It's literally one of my favorite places in the entire world!**

 **EmeraldDraegon Welcome back! Isn't real life such a pain? LOL I know my day job seriously interferes with my FF hobby! Tony truly is my favorite character to write, but I put a lot of effort into trying to make all of the characters as believable as possible. I also put an embarrassingly large amount of effort into my work. This week had me researching private jets for a half hour alone! I;m so happy to hear that my efforts are noticed and appreciated!**

* * *

 **An amazining and impressivly large thank you to Kari10, nightmarehunter676, Ziggy55, Anonymous, Guest, , Leafdragon117, Digidestined10, gotmoreissuesthanvogue, Atemis7448, SummerMistedDragon, WeasleyLover123, & EmeraldDraegon for your wonderful reviews of Chapter 34! I look forward to hearing your thoughts on 35! To everyone out there please continue reading, reviewing, favoritng, following and enjoying! Hopefully I'll be back withing the next two days with an update!**


	36. Chapter 36

"Wow!" Lex gasped, taking in the grand entrance of Disney World's Wilderness Lodge. The lodge was a giant, stylish log cabin with a beautifully decorated interior. A fireplace with a towering chimney was nestled in the far left corner of the lodge, the concierge and check in was to the right of the doorway, and comfort lounge chairs and couches were clustered together in groups through the lobby. "This place looks amazing!" She marveled, walking towards the center of the room.

"Check out the carvings!" Rachelle pointed to a three story tall totem pole carved onto one of the Cabin's beams. "Do you think that's real wood?" She asked stepping forward.

"Don't wander off just yet you two!" Tony called out from the doorway. He, Sam, Steve & Rhodey were ambushed by a pair of cheery women in matching uniforms. An older blonde and a brunette both wearing floor length black skirts, red puffy sleeved shirts and a large buckled belt. All that was missing were cowboy hats and the two could have stared in a stylized Western movie.

"Afternoon, everyone!" The blonde said first. She was in her mid forties and spoke with a heavy southern twang. "My name's Shana Marie and this here's Annabelle." She pointed to the brunette who couldn't have been more than twenty five. "We just want to make sure y'all are enjoying your Disney vacation so far! Is everyone having a magical time?"

"Actually ladies, we've just arrived and are looking to check in." Steve explained politely.

"Well sure thing sugar! Miss Belle can take care of you right over at a front desk, can't ya?" Shana Marie smiled at her co-worker.

"Of course!" Annabelle smiled back. "Right this way." She led the six of them over to the check in counter. "What's the last name on the reservation?"

"Rhodes." Tony told her. "Should be under James Rhodes."

"You used my name?" Rhodey raised an eyebrow from the back of their small pack.

"It's low profile." Tony shrugged. "Didn't want to cause mass hysteria by putting it under my name."

"Better not have used my credit card too." Rhodey mumbled.

"What do I look like the NSA? I put a hotel reservation in your name. I didn't buy another yacht."

"Yes, here you are!" Annabelle tried to get back to business quickly because she had easily recognized the hotel's new guests upon seeing their faces. Surely the news would spread around the hotel quickly that Tony Stark and his friends were staying there. It was in everyone's best interest to process their check in as quickly as possible, lest the lobby become swarmed with adoring fans.

"Six nights and seven days in a two bedroom villa under the name James Rhodes. And staying with us this week we have James Rhodes, Tony Stark, Alexandria Stark, Rachelle Miller, Steve Rogers and I'm sorry there seems to be something wrong here. You folks have your six guests name entered as 'pet bird' that can't be right." Annabelle frowned.

"Pet bird?" Sam groaned. "Really?" He chuckled, shaking his head. "You just couldn't resist."

"Well you're so found of nick names I just thought..." Tony feigned innocence but shrugging his shoulders again.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Stark, we can fix that right away. I'll just need the correct first and last..."

"Don't bother." Sam waver her off. "After being around this guy for a while you get used to it. I'm just going to be Sam 'Pet Bird' Wilson for the rest of my life."

"Okay. And it looks like you're going to pick up your magic bands here at the hotel so let me just get those for you." Annabelle disappeared from the counter momentary and returned with a small white box in hand.

" _I_ ordered the Magic Bands." Lex assured everyone before lifting the cover off the box. Six bracelets sat inside the box. Each looked nearly Identical with a Mickey Mouse silhouette in the center, distinguished from each other only by their varying colors. "They have your name on the inside, so no fighting." She added before pulling the first band out of the box. "Red for Tony."

"It says _Iron Dad_. Touche." He smirked.

"Blue for Steve, because they don't come in flag print. Grey for Rhodey because that's the color of War Machine." Both men accepted their bracelets without complaint. "Green for Sam..."

"Because it's good luck?" He guessed. Sam flipped over his band and was relieved to see that it read 'Wings' and not 'Pet Bird'.

"And lastly, Pink for Rachelle and Purple for me." Lex handed Rachelle her band before securing her own purple bracelet around her wrist, just under her horseshoe bracelet from Sam.

"Excellent." Annabelle smiled. "Your bands can be used to enter our theme parks, make purchases, save photos from your vacation and they will also be used to access your resort villa. It will take just a moment for me to activate them. Mr. Stark or Mr. Rhodes would either of you like to put a credit card on file so that purchases can be made with the Magic Bands during your vacation?"

"Well of course. These guys only hang out with me so they can spend my money." Tony joked, reaching for his wallet. The rest of the check in proceeded smoothly from that point and within minutes the group was given directions to their temporary home away from home.

"looks a little small." Tony frowned as he stood in the door way.

"You're kidding me right?" Rhodey snorted. "This place is bigger than my apartment!"

"What exactly are the sleeping arrangements?" Steve asked awkwardly as he put his luggage down in the living room area.

"Let's see..." Lex poked her head into each of the bedrooms, taking an inventory of the furniture. "There's a king sized bed in there, and two Queen sized beds in that room, and the sofa is a sleeper bed. So we're short two beds."

"How about this Rachelle & Lex share the king, Rhodey on the sleeper, Wilson and I will take the queens and we'll fill one of the bathtubs up with ice for Rogers."

"Or, more logically," Lex shook her head at Tony. "You and Rhodey share the king, Rach and I will share the sleeper and Steve and Sam can each have their own bed."

"Well you're just being impossible!" Tony complained. "I won't have my own bed that way! Hang on, I know a fair way to settle this!" He fished his phone out of his pocket. "JARVIS, what's the most logical way to divide up the sleeping arrangements?"

"One moment Mr. Stark, I am scanning the rooms for sleepable furniture." Everyone stood around Tony, waiting for his Pocket JARVIS to churn out the results. "The most logical sleeping arrangement for this villa are as follows Mr. Stark. Based upon sleep data recorded by yourself and Ms. Potts, you are a violent sleeper. You toss and turn in your sleep. As such I cannot recommend that you share a bed with anyone, to prevent injuries. You should claim the King sized bed for yourself."

"Aw!"

"Come on, J!" This lead to a series of groans and grumbles from everyone.

"Next, Miss Miller and Mr. Wilson both prefer to sleep on the very edge on opposite sides of the bed. Neither moves very much while sleeping. This sleep pattern makes them both compatible sleep partners as it is highly unlikely they will stray far from their chosen sides of the bed." Rachelle and Sam exchanged a look before mirroring each other's shrug.

"I'm cool with that if you are Stripes." Sam smiled and held his hand up for a high five.

"I grew up in a group home, sharing is kind of the first lesson you learn there." She agreed before slapping his hand.

"Miss Stark and Captain Rogers would be the next logical choice. In part because of their attraction to each other, but largely because they each suffer from sever nightmares. These nightmares seem to be counteracted when Miss Stark and Cap..."

"Stop!" Tony interrupted. "I don't need to hear this! You can all figure it out for yourselves." He marched off towards the King sized bed with luggage in hand.

* * *

 **A/N:Last one will finally have them hitting the parks I promise guys! There were just some prime opportunities for jokes that were too good to pass up!**

 **Ziggy55, I was actually debating between DAK lodge and the Wilderness Lodge, in the end decided to go with Wilderness because I'm more familiar with it! Never worry about rambling, I appreciate the enthusiasm!**

 **Thank You to leafdragon117, atemis7448, nightmarehunter676, Ziggy55, Guest, & gotmoreissuesthanvogue for your reviews of Chapter 35! And an extra special thank you to Valerie E. Mackin for your dedication of reviewing every Chapter from 1-35! I enjoyed reading your journey through Lex, Tony & Steve's story! As always please continue reading, reviewing, favoriting, following and enjoying this story! New chapters will most likely be posted tomorrow!**


	37. Chapter 37

With the unspoken agreement that JARVIS' plan would work the best for everyone, the group took about an hour to get settled into their villa. Once bags were unpacked and sunscreen was applied, the heroes were suited up for a low profiles day at the most magical place in the world. The maximum disguise Tony was willing to dawn was a large, and very expensive, pair of black Bentley sunglasses. While the girls decided on more of a camouflage, trying to blend in the with the other guests. Wearing one of Steve's Brooklyn Dodgers caps backwards on her head, her feet strapped into a pair of high-top converses and a Mickey Mouse printed Vera Bradley backpack slung over one shoulder, Lex looked ready for adventure.

Rachelle was wearing flip-flops and a breezey turquoise sundress that matched the highlights in her hair. A wristlet, printed with a scene from Lilo and Stitch, held her cell phone and the few other things she would need for the day. Steve chose to match his girl with a baseball cap on his own head and a pair of reading glasses with false lenses to cover most of his face. Sam and Rhodey didn't need much of a disguise as neither of them would attract half the attention that Steve, Tony or his daughter would. So they both slapped on their Magic Bands and the standard pair of sunglasses before leading the way to the hotel's bus stop.

Their masquerade seemed not to draw any attention as they traveled from the hotel to the Magic Kingdom's main entrance without incident. At the gate however, their small party was pulled aside by one of the Cast Members.

"I'm so sorry to trouble everyone." The man frowned. "As I'm sure you realize, you folks have been identified by another one of our Cast Members. Let me be the first to welcome you all to the Magic Kingdom! Mr. & Miss. Stark, Captain Rogers, Mr. Wilson, Colonel Rhodes, Miss Miller! Mickey and his friends are so happy to have you here today, but I'm afraid there's a small policy issue we have to discuss before you can enter the park."

"Policy Issue?" Now Steve was frowning too. They hadn't even walked into the park yet. What in the world could they be in violation of?

"Yes, we have concerns about Mr. Stark's concealed weapon in his backpack." As if in a TV sitcom, the entire group glared at Tony in unison.

"Let's all relax for a minute." Tony rolled his eyes. "We're not talking a hand grenade or a rocket launcher here. It's a small Pulsor glove that'll only work for me. Not like I'm about to leave it lying around anyway. Plus I have a certified letter, counter signed by my dear friend, Mr. Bob Iger." He reached slowly into his bag, so as to not alarm the Cast Member, and produced said letter. Just then a second Disney employee came rushing out before the first even have time to look at the letter.

"I'm so sorry Mr. Stark! We just received an email explaining your situation. Please accept my apologies. I'm sure you can understand with a company this big it sometimes takes time for information to trickle down from Mr. Iger to us. I will be sure to reshare this information with the Main Entrance teams at the other three parks as well so that this confusion doesn't happen again."

"No problem." Tony shrugged before stuffing the letter back in his bag. "Who wants a churro?"

"That's it?" Rachelle asked. "We can just...go in now?"

"They say they were sorry, kid. Now c'mon!" He waved everyone forward again.

"I brought a pocket knife to school in fourth grade and I got suspended for a week." Rachelle complained as she followed Sam away from the two cast members. "Tony brings a military grade weapon to Disney World and it's 'come right on in'!"

"The perks of being a Stark." Lex smirked. "Where to first?"

"Space Mountain. It's a classic." Tony said.

"The dumbo ride!" Rachelle squealed. "They were in all the Disney commercials when I was a kid."

"No way. Teacups first. Trust me you don't want to go on those things after you've had lunch." Sam's face seemed to turn green just from the memory of a past vacation.

"It's going to be a long week..." Lex smiled widely before leading everyone to Adventureland, towards Pirates of the Caribbean, her personal favorite ride.

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 **A/n: So I know this chapter was kind of short, but I can promise you the next one will be a long one. Because the next one will be the last one! Now hold on there, put down your pitchforks or tissues. (Whichever is more appropriate.) Lex, Tony and the gang will be back in a new story following the end of this one! Basically I want to start the Age of Ultron timeline soon, and I really want Ultron and Civil War to each be their own stories. I'll post the final Chapter for Melting Hearts of Iron and Ice either Friday or Saturday. At the same time, I will post the first chapter of the sequel. (Which I have yet to name.) That way you guys wont have to wait long after finishing the first story! For more information/questions you can always send me a PM!**

 **Thank you so very much to Digidestined10, Ziggy55, nightmarehunter676, WrittenwithLove767, gotmoreissuesthanvogue, WeasleyLover123, & Valerie E Mackin for your reviews of Chapter 36! Collectively you all seem to really enjoy JARVIS, so I will try to put more of him in the future! I really cant express enough how much I love reading everyone's reviews. They motivate me to post more often and it helps to know my work is being enjoyed! I'll try to be back with new updates ASAP for you all! 3 3 Thank you so much for your continued support!**


	38. Chapter 38

Lex found herself stifling a yawn as she climbed the stairs to the Stark family jet once again. The past week had been exhausting. Tony, as usual, wouldn't stay still for more than thirty minutes. He kept the group running from one end of the park to another all day long. Not to mention his all out refusal to maintain a low profile midweek. Some time Wednesday afternoon he decided the whole universe should know that Tony Stark was at Disney World, despite everyone else's insistence that they keep things quiet. As a result the group was constantly stopped for autographs and selfies with fans.

A highlight of the trip had been watching Rachelle and Steve experience the parks for the first time. Her heart swelled like a proud parent when her favorite super soldier finally got to meet Mickey Mouse. During their brief interaction, Steve told the head mouse in charge all about seeing Steamboat Willie in the cinema when he was about ten years old. To which Mickey replied, through miming and some interpretive help from his character attendant, that he too remembered seeing Captain America on the big screen. This naturally reminded Lex and Rachelle of the "Star Spangled Man With a Plan" song, sending them into a fit a giggles before posing for their own photo with Mickey.

Although Rachelle enjoyed everything about being at Disney it seemed, at least to her best friend, that the character she enjoyed taking the most pictures with was their very own "Pet Bird" Wilson. From the first group photo of them outside of Cinderella Castle to their final one outside their Hotel, Sam and Rachelle grew closer and closer with each snapshot. Honestly, Lex thought while flicking through the pictures on her phone, the two of them made a good couple. Out of all the Avengers Sam told the best jokes and had the best sense of humor. There was nothing Rachelle loved more than a good laugh. They both saw things their own way and were more than happy dancing through life. They fit together.

"Get a load of those two." Lex and Steve were standing by the bar when she gently nudged his ribs and nodded her head in Sam and Rachelle's direction. The new couple was cuddled together on the couch, her head was resting against his shoulder.

"When did that happen?" Steve whispered.

"You really don't know anything about women do you?" She shook her head. Reaching for her phone, she approached the couch. "I'm invoking my right as your best friend to post your first official couple picture in Instagram, so smile and act like you want to me take your picture!" Rachelle and Sam didn't bother trying denying her accusation. Instead they made small smiles and silently hoped one photo would be the worst of their torment.

"Oh no!" Tony groaned. "Not you two, too! When did the Avengers turn into Match dot com? Banner and Nat, my princess and Capcicle, Now Rachelle and birdman." He shook his head. "What is this world coming to?"

"You complain way too damn much for someone who has so much money." Rhodey laughed as he flopped down into the third spot on the couch.

"I think somebody just misses Pepper." Lex said, rejoining Steve at the bar.

"And I think somebody needs to see this again..." The black and white video of Steve and the Star Spangled Singers was once again playing on the flatscreen.

"Oh like you've never done anything you regret." Steve asked with folded arms.

"Nope." Tony responded almost immediately. "Practically perfect in every way." Everyone rolled their eyes at that.

"How about a Disney Movie?" Lex questioned. The group agreed that this was a good idea and, following a quick vote, they settled on _Beauty and the Beast_. The movie seemed to subdue everyone until the song _Be Our Guest_ swelled through the speakers causing the two girl's to belt out the lyrics. Rhodey surprised everyone when he joined in by singing Lumiere the candlestick's lines in a terribly French accent.

"He gives her a library?!" Steve remarked enthusiastically and the Beast lured Belle into her surprise. Everyone had to remind themselves that this was the first time the super soldier was watching the movie and did their best to refrain from any other decade old spoilers. Lex held his hand as he watched the cartoon with boyish excitement. When the scene of Belle and her Beau dancing in the ball room began, she insisted her own handsome partner take to his feet.

"Oh I don't know..." Steve cringed. He was too shy to admit that he'd never gone dancing before and too embarrassed to admit that he had been avoiding it since coming out of the ice. All those years ago, he'd told Peggy Carter that he was waiting for the right partner. Perhaps all that waiting was worth it if his first dance was going to be with the fiery, beautiful, intelligent Alexandria, Stark. _If only Howard could see me now. Dancing with his Granddaughter on his son's jet._ He thought to himself while allowing Lex to pull him off his stool.

Rachelle and Sam were already on their feet, swaying as Angela Landsberry's Mrs. Potts sang out the lyrics to the film's famous song, _Tale as Old As Time._ Gulping similarly to the Beast on screen, Steve concentrated hard so as to not trip on his partner's feet or bump into the couple next to them. After a few awkward steps he realized this wasn't necessary. Lex seemed to be leading _him_ around the cramped space in a small box step.

"I took ballroom dance lessons in high school." She explained to him in a whisper.

"I have to say, this is the first time I feel fifth wheeled in my own jet." Tony chipped in from his seat at the table.

"Don't look at me." Rhodey shook his head. "I am not dancing with you tonight. This is not Cabo, and I haven't had nearly enough tequilla."

"That was in Cabo?" His friend frowned. "Hmm, I thought it was Prague."

"No Prague was the time you..." Rhodey stopped talking when he realized Lex, Steve, Sam and Rachelle had all stopped dancing. They were now staring at he and Tony instead of the movie. "You know what, that's a story for another time." One Hour and twenty four minutes later their movie came to an end. Rachelle cheered the loudest when Gaston came to his grisly demise, tumbling to his death off the room of the castle.

"That guy got what he deserved." She huffed unapologetically. "Can we watch _Aladdin_ next? It's my favorite!" Since there was still an hour and a half left of their flight home, and _Aladdin_ had a ninety minute runtime, Lex played the next of Disney's long list of animated features without even waiting on a vote from everyone else.

" _A Whole new world! A dazzling place I never knew..._ " Both girls were loudly bellowing the lyrics to the _Aladdin_ song when their travel party burst through the front door of Tony's apartment. The whole thing was nearly a sensory overload for Pepper, who'd almost gotten used to the quietness of the last week.

She looked up from the book she'd been reading to see Lex riding in on Steve's back, her arms secured around his neck and a Brooklyn Dodgers cap backwards on her head. Rachelle was in a similar position, her purple and blue locks dangling in front of Sam Wilson's face, as he impressively carried her through the doorway. She wondered absently when those two had become an item when Tony stepped through the door, his trademark smirk firmly in place.

"Would you two give it a rest? Go unpack or something." He huffed at the girls as Rhodey brought up the rear of the room, shutting the door behind them all. "They've been squawking away like that since, what would you say Rhodey, Deleware?"

"That's being generous." Rhodes shook his head. "I need a nap." He announced before wondering off to the guest room. Rachelle and Lex dismounted their respective human-camels before pulling their suitcases to their shared bedroom.

"A nap sounds nice." Sam agreed.

"Don't even think about it." Tony snarled in his best dad voice, which was weak he knew it. "Rachelle lives here, that makes her basically my kid too. So same rules as Capsicle. You sleep at his place 30 stories downstairs or I'll make sure you sleep 6 feet under. Clear?"

"Crystal. Stripes! Lucky! I'm going to crash at Steve's tonight. Catch you later!" Rachelle and Lex both popped their heads out of their room and called appropriate good-byes to Sam before watching him leave the apartment.

"Wilson and Rachelle, huh? That's new." Natasha let herself into the apartment, not bothering to knock or announce herself before strolling in with Banner.

"Aunt Nat!" Lex beamed. This was the first time she'd seen the black widow since she'd left for Germany. "When did you get back?"

"Just this morning. But It seems I should have taken the early flight out last week...how much did I miss while I was gone?"

"Not much." Bruce smiled.

" _Everything_." Lex said at the same time.

"Why don't you two stay for dinner, we'll tell you all about it?" Pepper invited. While Tony, Pepper and Nat immediately started discussing take out options, Lex looked around the room. Six months ago she thought her life was perfect. Her only family was her stepfather and the majority of her free time had been filled with School or extracurricular activities. Since connecting with Tony, she'd become overwhelmed by his generosity. Her family had grown in include such a wonderful array of people and for the first time since her mother died, she felt like she belonged somewhere. It felt so good to be home.

* * *

 **A/N: Last Chapter everyone! I want to thank you all so much for reading all the way through this journey with me! When I started this story back in February I really didn't think it would go on for this long or be so well received and now here we are!**

 **I want to thank Ziggy55 for the only review of Chapter 37, because reviews just make me so happy! And I want to again thank you all for your past reviews, favorites, follows and any other support you've given to Lex and I!**

 **As promised I've already written & posted the first Chapter of this story's sequel! You can find it by searching "Genius, Billion-heiress, Socialite, Hero" since that's the sequel's title! And as a reminder, if you don't have enough Lexcicle in your life you can always stop by Lex's tumblr for updates in between chapters. [** **luckyprincesslex. tumblr . com]** **There's usually hints about the next chapter posted there and some really terrible Photoshop done by yours truly! :D**

 **So in short, I look forward to your final thoughts on Hearts of Iron & Ice, Can't wait to see what you guys think of Genius, Billion-heiress, Socialite, Hero, & I want to thank you for your never ending support! **


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